


Fluffember

by FallenFurther



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Childhood Friends, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Fluff, First Born, First Kiss, Fluff, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hugs, Love, Stargazing, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 23,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22365784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenFurther/pseuds/FallenFurther
Summary: After reading and enjoying all the Whumpober posts on Tumblr I saw Gumnut post her Fluffember prompts and I felt the need to write my own, almost as a way of saying thank you. So I joined Tumblr and gave it a go. I started six days late, caught up slightly and finished three days into December. It was hard work, especially for someone who hadn't written a story for years, but it was so rewarding.This is the archive of the resultant posts. 31 short, mostly stand alone, posts, which often reference each other.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19
Collections: FLUFFEMBER2019





	1. Day 1 - Hugs

It had been a simple rescue. A gas leak in an office building had caught and caused damage to the next-door kindergarten. International Rescue had been called in due to there being multiple classrooms of children trapped in the now unsteady building. Virgil had held back the structure while Gordon had located the frightened children and teachers. Both had been required to carry the children freed to the evacuation tent where injuries could be treated, and the registers checked, until everyone was accounted for. Virgil was relieved and amazed that the most serious injury they encountered was the broken leg of one of the teachers. 

After one last look through the building Virgil, with Gordon following behind, headed over to the command tent which had been organising the emergency response. He confirmed the building was clear and got the go ahead to leave. Gordon was eager to get back as Lady Penelope had been scheduled to arrive at the island an hour ago. Gordon lead the way back to Thunderbird Two, which took them past the evacuation tent. Virgil had a quick glance inside, to check how the treatment of the children was going, only to notice a familiar little girl running towards him. Before he could react, she had wrapped her little arms firmly round his legs and was looking up at him with dark brown eyes and a big smile. 

“Mr Virgil! Mr Virgil! You found my sister!” 

Virgil smiled at the girl, remembering how she had sobbed on his shoulder about how she didn’t know where her sister was. He had carried her out saying that he’d go find her if she wasn’t already safely out. Thinking back, he couldn’t remember if he had seen another child who looked like this girl but that could have been because Gordon had carried them, and they had rescued quite a few children. He knelt causing the little girl to release his legs and he placed a hand on her back. 

“I told you we’d find her."

As he said this a second young girl, identical in every way to the one he had his hand on, ran up to him and flung her arms round his neck. 

“Thank you, Mr Virgil!” was yelled in his ear, and he tried to hide the wince. He didn’t remember see twins so Gordon must have rescued to other one. The second twin was pulling on his neck with the hug and nestled her head into the crook of neck. He reached up to try and release himself from the embrace when the first twin threw her arms around his neck and yelled “My turn” in his other ear, while pushing her sister away. 

“No! I’m not done yet!” The displaced twin exclaimed, pushing her sister and forcing her arms around his neck again. The weight of both children pulling on his neck was starting to hurt and to make matters worse they started shoving each other, pulling on it more. He looked up at the sound of Gordon sniggering at him, a big grin on the man’s face and a glint in his eye that meant he was never going to forget this. The twins continued their fight around his neck and he carefully grasped an arm from each side and tried to pull them off. 

“You could help me you know.”

“Come on Virgil, a big strong man like you don’t really need to be rescued from a pair of 5-year olds, right?” Gordon grinned back, making no attempt to move to help. Virgil sighed as he managed to get one of the girls off only for her to wrap her arms around his chest. 

“Girls!” 

The stern exclamation came from the tent and both girls froze and turned to look. Virgil looked up to see one of the teachers with a bandaged arm and her hands on her hips walking his way. 

“You’ve said thank you now, so let the man go. He has other people to go and help. Now come here so we can go see if you mummy has come to take you two home.”

Virgil looked at the girls who still clung to him. They were looking at each other, and he could tell they were trying to work out who would let go first. He had seen the same look in Gordon and Alan when they were young. Virgil moved to remove the arms that were still pulling on his neck when one girl let go and pulled her sister off him. They pulled grumpy faces at each other. They then smiled at him, said one last thank you, before walking towards their teacher hand in hand. Virgil shook his head, and smiled to himself, before rubbing his now sore neck. He stood and joined a grinning Gordon as they continued their walk to Thunderbird 2. 

“Quite the ladies’ man, aren’t you Virgil!” Gordon was still grinning like a Cheshire cat, and Virgil knew he was coming up with many ways to annoy him with this over the next month. They got back to Two and Virgil fell back into his seat and started pre-flight checks. Gordon took his seat, but watched him the entire time, with a mischievous glint in his eye. 

“Yes Gordon?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just can’t wait to tell Scott about how you got that scratch on you neck. He might even be jealous that you had two cute girls fighting over you!”


	2. Day 2 - Blanket

John took his eyes away from the eyepiece of his telescope that was currently pointed at the Large Magellanic Cloud. He loved how each time he gazed into its depths he seemed to see something new. Smiling he reached for the screw that attached the telescope to stand and adeptly removed it. Pointing the telescope straight up, and using his knees to steady it, he looked down the aperture. Careful movements centred Thunderbird 5 and he felt a longing inside for the satellite. He’d been grounded for a week so far, with another three weeks of compulsory Earth time left. His brothers had learnt that they had to schedule his downtime otherwise he would stay up there indefinitely. He gazed up trying to see if there was any movement in the gravity ring, though he knew at this time Alan probably wouldn’t be in it. 

He sighed, lying the telescope beside him and laying back. Hands behind his head he looked up at the sky, from which he drew so much comfort. This was his favourite spot for stargazing. Having been on a tough rescue that afternoon, Scott had deemed it necessary to give him the evening to recover, so he’d come out without his coms and was enjoying a different type of quiet to that of Thunderbird 5. Here he could hear the distant sounds of the sea, the wind through the trees and odd animal sound, all of which came together to relax him. The wind was light, and gently blew through his hair and causing Goosebumps on limbs. 

He reached to his side and brought his blanket over him, its wool still soft despite its age. He couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t had it, and so many memories were linked to it. He brought it up to his face and inhaled the familiar smell of home and thought back to all the times his had been tucked around him. Last Halloween he’d wrapped himself in it as they had gone through a horror film marathon, its material hiding the goosebumps and shivers he involuntary produced at various points in the night. He always took it to the ranch each year to stave off the cool Australian nights, though in reality the house never got cold enough to need it, it always felt wrong when it wasn’t there. It had accompanied him to boarding school as it made the standard single beds that little bit more inviting. He’d also used it as a picnic blanket on his second date with Samantha, with whom he shared his first kiss. There was also every time he had fallen ill. Whenever he was bedridden, this blanket was draped over him by whomever was smothering him, though his mum had always done it best. She would sit by his bed and place a cool towel on his head if needed, she would brush her hands through his hair and tuck the blanket up just under his chin, but not too close, before kissing his cheek and singing him a lullaby so he’d drift off. 

John pulled his jumper under his head and stared up at the blanket of stars above him. His eyes getting heavy and his body relaxed he started to drift off to sleep, knowing full well that Scott would come wake him up later when he realised he’d fallen asleep outside again.


	3. Day 3 - Care

Scott watched on as his brothers played by the stream. He didn’t have to worry about John, who was sitting against a tree in the shade reading. His skin was marked by the occasional smudge of sun cream, where it hadn’t all been rubbed in. Virgil was sat on the bank, sitting cross-legged in front of a foldable easel with paints in his hand. The picturesque stream, without his little brothers, was slowly taking shape on the canvas. 

Dad had nipped back to the car so he could take a call in private, leaving Grandma in charge. She was now fast asleep on the picnic blanket, forcing Scott to look after his brothers. Removing his shoes and socks, he walked over to the bank and stepped into the stream. The water was cool in the heat of the day, though as he stepped further in, he felt a sharp pain in the sole of his foot. He quickly withdrew it and was relieved to see the skin had not been broken. Scott was shocked to see the bottom half of a broken bottle in the stream bed, its sharp edges pointing up. He pulled it out and carefully threw it onto the bank. 

Looking up, he saw his youngest siblings huddled at the side of the stream, which set off alarm bells in Scott’s head. Running about, splashing, messing around and annoying each other were normal things that Scott could handle. But being still and quiet normally meant trouble. Watching where he placed his feet, Scott waded over to the terrible two, and peered over their shoulders to see what was happening. 

Relief filled him as he saw the newt in Gordon’s hands, knowing that Gordon was just indulging in his love for all the creatures of the earth. Though, he was also struck by the ring pull which was stuck around the poor creature’s abdomen. The two boys turned to him, sad, pleading looks written on their faces.

“Please Scott! We gotta help him!” Gordon said, obviously not knowing how. He thrust the creature into Scott’s face. After moving his head back to avoid kissing the newt, Scott leaned in to inspect the animal. The ring pull didn’t look like it was hurting the newt, but if the animal grew any larger it soon would. Now was the best time to remove it. Scott stood up tall and thought about the problem, feeling the eager eyes of his brothers rest upon him. The only cutting tool they had with them was the scissors from the first aid kit, which wouldn’t be strong enough to cut the metal, but there might be something more useful in the car. 

“You two get a cup, then fill it with water so we can make him comfortable. I’ll run to the car and see if there is anything in the trunk which we can use to cut him free.” 

A priceless smile lit up Gordon’s face, and Scott quickly crossed over to the other side of the stream, forcing his wet feet into his socks and shoes, then he ran to the car. His dad was a little bemused at the sight of him and tried to shoo him away, but Scott just continued with his mission. He was happy to find a toolbox in the car boot, and after rooting beneath the screwdrivers, he found a pair of wire cutters. They were a little too big, but they would have to do. He grasped them in a fist, and slammed the boot closed, catching a dirty look from his father as he ran back to the stream. 

Upon his arrival he found his youngest brothers crouched over a cup. They both looked up at him as he peered into it, and Scott smiled. They obviously cared for the small creature, as inside the cup was a rock and a piece of greenery under which the creature was hiding. He showed them the wire cutters. 

“Okay. Gordon, will you hold the creature still for me? These are big, so I’m going to have to be extremely careful when cutting so as not to hurt him.”

“Can do!” Was the reply, and Gordon reached into the cup to recover the newt. Sitting cross-legged on the floor facing Gordon, with Alan peering in from his right, Scott grasped and gently tugged on the ring-pull, giving a little clearance between it and the creatures skin. Taking in a breath he carefully moved the cutters to the metal, and when he was sure he wasn’t going to cut the newt, he squeezed, increasing the pressure until he felt the wire give way. Gordon carefully rotated the newt round and he repeated the action on the other side with the utmost care, however this time the part of the pull he was holding came away, and Gordon quickly removed the piece now under the newt’s belly. Gordon gave it a quick inspection and grinned at him before putting newt back in the cup. 

“How about you put that little fella back where you found him?”

“Only if you help us clean up the stream so he doesn’t get hurt again.”

Scott sighed, as there was always a catch. He looked at the bottle he’d thrown on the riverbank earlier and started pulling off his shoes. Trust him to get roped into litterpicking by his caring and annoying brothers, when he was meant to be on holiday!


	4. Day 4 - Touch

Scott stared up at the rocket before him, feeling the burden of his task upon his shoulders. They were going to launch the new Zero-X tomorrow. They were going to rescue their father. Nervous excitement had bubbled around the table during dinner, his younger siblings itching to be reunited with their long-lost parent. Scott had smiled along with them, though the smile never touched his heart, which was heavy with worry. 

All the calculations had been done, checked and checked again. Scott trusted Brains, but when he had said the ship was ready to launch, the apprehension started to creep in. Even knowing that there were safety systems upon safety systems, and that EOS would be there to guide them through, it still felt like a lot could go so wrong. The engine had never been tested, because they couldn’t test it. They couldn’t be certain of the ship’s top speed until they were in flight, so food and water supplies were merely based on estimates. They had run through scenario after scenario, simulation after simulation, until everyone could fly the ship in their sleep. Yet Scott couldn’t stop himself from worrying about every little detail, fretting about every negative outcome. He hid most of his worries, knowing it was just the way he was, only voicing the ones he thought legitimate and often suggesting another fail-safe be added to the complicated design. Still, Scott couldn’t save himself from his concerns.  
Nothing changed the fact that they were heading into the unknown, chasing the only other person who had any knowledge of where they were going and what would they would encounter. Scott was taking his brothers with him. The brothers he was responsible for, whom he had to guide and protect. Was he really doing the right thing? Should he really be taking Gordon with them, who was only just recovered from serious injury? Anything could happen on the journey ahead that could result in them never coming back. And who was there to rescue International Rescue when they were in trouble? What if their father was no longer alive? How would they cope with that reality, travelling so far, with so much hope, only to end up grieving again? And when they got back, would the world have survived without International Rescue? How many lives will be lost that could have been saved had they just not gone? Would the world forgive them? There had always been people who had been opposed to International Rescue, and would there be more on their return? All these worries had settled on his heart, weighing him down and stopping him from getting the sleep he knew he needed.   
A hand on his shoulder, brought Scott out of his thoughts and he turned to see his Grandma by his side. 

“It’s quite a beauty, your father’s going to love her. It’s going to be a grand adventure for you all.”

Scott looked back at the ship. It was going to be an adventure. He was his father’s son, after all, with the desire to go faster and fly higher a constant force in his life. Grandma put her hands on his shoulders and pulled him close. 

“He’s going to be so proud of what you’ve all done and achieved.”

Scott smiled, the certainty in his Grandmother’s voice having a calming effect on the storm in his head. He had always known this was the right thing to do, for everyone, and that they had to do it together. His brothers would get him through this, as much as he would be helping them through. Scott leaned into his Grandma, trying to absorb some of her strength, thinking of how lucky he was to have such a strong and loving family around him. 

After a while his Grandma pulled away, leaving him feeling cold. 

“Right, young man, off to bed with you! You need as much sleep as you can get, though I’m sure no one is going to get enough tonight, you might at least try.”

“Yes Ma’am!” Scott laughed, taking one last look at the rocket, before turning on his heel and matching off to his room.


	5. Day 5 - Cry

Scott was home from boarding school for the Easter break, but with exams coming up he was still up revising after 10 PM. He knew he had to do well so he could become a pilot and was trying to get as much revision done as possible, though with four younger brothers also on break he spent most the day playing with them and keeping them out of trouble. This was the best he could do with Gordon playing pranks left, right and centre. So that left the evenings, when the youngest two went to bed and everyone else entertained themselves peacefully. 

He didn’t know where John was, but then he was so quiet that he could walk in and sit on Scott’s bed to read, and Scott wouldn’t even notice. If it was a clear night, he would be out with his telescope. Scott had learnt to peek into John’s room before he went to bed on those nights, as there had been multiple incidences of John falling asleep under the stars and being found sneaking into the house early in the morning, cold and stiff. The nights when Scott found him still awake in John’s favourite stargazing spot would always lead to him lying by his brother and enjoying his company, before helping him carry his telescope back to the house. 

Virgil would often be found in his art studio, painting or drawing away. On other nights, like tonight, he could be found at the piano, playing for hours on end and filling the house with soft music. For that reason, Scott had left his bedroom door open. He was far away enough from the piano for it not to be a loud distraction, but it cut through the silence of the bedroom making the task of revising that much more bearable. 

Scott stretched his arms over his head and rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the stiffness caused by being hunched over the desk. He focused on the sounds coming through the door as he contemplated doing another hour before going to bed. As he picked up his stylus to continue taking notes, he heard a muffed cry. He dropped the stylus, and he was out the door in a flash, pausing on the landing to listen in and locate the room the scream was coming from. He knew Virgil wouldn’t have heard it, and his father was with Brains in the lower levels, so it was up to him to help whoever had made it. 

The cry came again, and Scott quietly walked in the direction of Alan’s room, and as he got close, he heard an exclamation “NO!” coming from inside. He quickly let himself in and closed the door softly behind him. Alan was asleep on the floor, how his brother found that comfortable he didn’t know, his face pressed into the rug as he moved in his sleep. Scott knelt by his baby brother and gently shook his shoulders, and when he didn’t wake, he pulled Alan onto his back and rested Alan’s head on his knees. Scott stroked the hair of the nightmare-stricken boy, hoping the action would help to sooth Alan; the fear in his brother’s face hurting his heart. 

“It’s okay Alan. I’m here. There’s nothing to fear. You’re safe.” He whispered into Alan’s ear, continuing to stroke his brother’s hair. 

Slowly Alan’s mutterings subsided, and his eyes opened and looked into Scott’s. Blue looked into blue and in the dimly lit room Scott watched tears well up and spill from Alan’s eyes. Scott pulled his brother off the floor and Alan instinctively wrapped his legs around Scott’s waist and buried his head into Scott’s shoulder. Scott hugged his crying brother, stroking his back. 

“There, there. It’s all over. Nothing can hurt you now.” 

Alan squeezed harder and more tears came, causing Scott’s heart to ache. Before Scott could say anything, Alan pulled his head up and looked him dead in the eyes. 

“It’s not okay.” Alan sobbed before whispering, “I want mum. I miss her.”

Scott’s heart sank. He could guess the nightmare had been about an avalanche because there had been one on the news earlier. There had been sixteen people caught in it, including a family, and only half of them had been found alive. It had hit a little too close to home for everyone, and the room had gone silent for a long while after. 

“I miss her too, Alan. We all do.” 

Scott sat there a little longer as Alan’s tears slowed, holding him tight. They shared their grief silently. Scott couldn’t stop a few tears of his own from falling into his brother’s hair, part of him wanting to share memories of Mum to help comfort Alan, while the other part didn’t want to open his heart to the pain of loss he knew he would feel in doing so. Instead, he stood up with Alan and walked him over to the bed. He sat down and let Alan untangle himself before moving further back on the bed and lying down. Alan lay beside him and Scott pulled him close, hugging Alan as he let out a yawn. Scott held his brother as sleep took him again. 

***

It was past midnight when Jeff finally entered the residential quarters. He checked the kitchen, TV room and living area to confirm there were no boys sleeping where they shouldn’t be, before heading up to the bedrooms. All the doors were shut, except one, which had a light shining out of it. He strolled over to his eldest’s room, expecting to see the young man either studying or sleeping at his desk, as he had on many previous occasions. Instead he found an empty room, lit only by the desk lamp. Slightly confused, Jeff turned off the lamp and went to check on his other sons, all the while thinking of where Scott might be. The last room was his youngest’s, and as he peered round the door he smiled. Mystery solved, he quietly picked up the spare quilt, which he kept on standby for when Alan slept on the floor. Jeff placed it tenderly over his sleeping sons. He couldn’t help taking one last look before closing the bedroom door and heading to bed.


	6. Day 6 - Date

Penelope couldn’t sleep. Not that she had slept well for the past month, with either the baby inside her kicking her awake, or the need to relieve herself forcing her out of bed. She sighed, stroking her bump as the baby moved, forcing what she believed to be a foot into her diaphragm. She carefully rolled onto her other side, shifting a pillow beneath her, trying to find some semblance of comfort. She looked over to see Gordon stir, only to fall back asleep. She always felt bad when her movements woke him up, though he never complained, just smiling at her and placing his hand on the culprit. Her heart always leapt when he smiled at her, and her heart was so full of love for him. Simple joy came to her every night when he would hold her in his arms, and they would either watch the baby move or place their hands on it, smiling and laughing with every movement. 

Today Gordon didn’t wake, probably due to the long afternoon rescue, and she was glad. He needed to be ready for the next mission, or the baby, whichever came first. She lay there watching the gentle rising and falling of his chest, admiring the sculpted features of his face in the dim light. His body shifted slightly, and he started muttering under his breath, something Penelope found adorable. She managed to catch something about the baby not wanting tea. She giggled, trying not shake the bed too much, though the movement was enough to set the baby off again. 

Looking past Gordon to the digital clock on the table, she watched as the numbers changed over to strike midnight. Her heart jumped a little in excitement. Today was her due date! Penelope understood babies rarely came on their due date, especially first-time babies, which were often late. But that wouldn’t stop her; it was a milestone. They would soon be parents! Nothing made her happier than the idea that she and Gordon had made this new life, and she was so eager to meet it. Especially now she was so big and getting around was cumbersome and slow, but everyone had stepped in to help her. She was definitely well looked-after on Tracy Island. She was still anxious about the birth, and all the changes that she knew would come, but with Gordon by her side she knew they could get through anything. 

As she lay there, tired, yet content, she watched the clock as it flicked to fifteen past the hour and felt a tightening in her stomach. It might have just been another practice contraction, or it could be the start of labour, Penelope didn’t know. Only time would tell, and she smiled as she finally drifted off.


	7. Day 7 - Comfort

Alan was bossing Cavern Quest, with every monster he and his friends faced taken down quickly and efficiently. They had almost completed the entire cave, and they were all eager to enter the boss’s chamber. Together the four adventurers ran up the grand stone staircase to the entrance. Standing in front of the large brass doors to the grand hall were four cursed guards, which immediately began to walk ominously towards them.

“Delta formation!” Alan cried, and they moved into position, pairing off to try and take down the guards. Alan took the lead, and rushed at the closest guard on the left, his friend Mitch attacking straight after him. The two friends surrounded the guard, taking it in turns to distract it while the other attacked. They were efficiently reducing the cursed man’s hit points and it wouldn’t be long before they could make the final blow and move on. Dodging and dancing around, trying not to be hit by the other guard that they weren’t focusing on yet, they heard the triumphant calls from the other pair as they conquered their first guard. 

“Right, let’s do this!” Alan grinned as he saw the tell-tale cracks in the armour of the guard. Alan dodged the longsword as it swung down at him and jumped into the air. Mitch had leapt up too and simultaneous they brought their strongest attacks down on the guard. It dissolved beneath their weapons and they let out a triumphant cry. A quick look round and Alan saw the other Guard swinging for him. As he went to dodge the guard there was a loud rumble and Alan flinched, delaying the dodge and allowing the guard to sink a critical hit on him. The headset when dark and displayed 'Game over'.

“Damnit” Alan ripped his headset off in frustration.

It was then that Alan realised he was standing in a pitch-black room. A rattle came from behind him and he spun round. He was in the seating area behind the dining table, where there was plenty of room for him to move while in the virtual world. It had been light outside when he had put on the headset, but he hadn’t thought he’d been playing that long. The rest of the room was lit by the light coming down the stairs from the living room. A low howl came from outside and he realised it was the wind blowing hard around the house. Someone had closed the storm shutters and just to confirm why another rubble came. It sounded very close causing a shiver to run down Alan’s spine and the hairs to stand up on his arms. One of the worst things about living on a tropical island was the tropical storms. There was so much power in the wind that it made launching unsafe, and even the extra toughened, blast proof glass needed storm stutters to protect it. 

Alan reached for the lamp on the table, switched it on, and plonked himself onto the chair next to it. He put his feet on the seat and hugged his knees as something was blown into the stutters. Had anyone put the sun loungers away? The idea of the sun loungers being blown around the island brought a smile to Alan’s face, though he knew that whoever closed the shutters, probably Scott, would have remembered to put them away. They had always been Scott’s responsibility anyway, as Scott was forever having to put them back in place after he launched Thunderbird 1. Alan had always wondered why they didn't bolt them down. 

Alan placed the headset over his eyes and went to see if his friends were out of the cave yet. He didn't see a prompt to re-join their party, so they must have been battling with the boss. Alan’s heart sank knowing that he was missing out, all thanks to a little bit of thunder. He sat there in the eerie space that suddenly felt like the lonely caverns of his games. He flicked his head round at the next howl, his mind playing tricks on him. Maybe he should say goodbye to his friends and go upstairs to do something else, but it was rare that all four were online and being grounded meant he actually had time to play.

As Alan considered going upstairs to his room, music cut through the sounds of the wind. Alan smiled as he recognised the notes as one of the melodies Virgil used to warm himself up on his piano. Sitting in the lamplight, Alan closed his eyes and focused on his brother’s music, letting it drown out the storm. A smile etched its way across Alan’s face as the melody progressed, the goosebumps on his arms disappearing.

The music’s only interruption was the occasional blast of thunder, which was thankfully sounding further away, as Virgil unwittingly comforted his youngest brother. Virgil moved into his third piece, and the headset in Alan’s hand vibrated. Putting it back on his head, Alan heard the voices of his friends, who had just failed to beat the boss. In a flash, Alan was logged back in and soon they were restarting from their last checkpoint, the storm already absent from Alan’s thoughts.


	8. Day 8 - Encounter

After the third day of the Tracy Industries Annual General Meeting Scott just wanted to throw in the towel. Sometimes it was too much for him to handle, and this annual meeting was the worst part of being CEO. Three weeks of day long meetings, having to chat with people who only wanted to promote their own self-interest and having to go to more corporate events because he was ‘in town’, all while International Rescue had to struggle on without him. 

Scott walked into the bar of a private club; thankful he’s been able to slip out before anyone could corner him. He fell into one of the chairs in a more secluded corner and let his head fall back, gaze fixating on the intricate design on the ceiling. After passing his membership card to the server who approached him, he ordered the most expensive scotch the establishment had. While still staring at the ceiling, Scott removed his tie, slipping it into his suit pocket and undid the top button of his shirt. He unbuttoned the suit jacket, rolled his shoulders back and pulling his arms free he threw it over the back of the chair, as the waiter came carrying his drink. Taking it with a smile, he took as sip, letting the liquid roll over his tongue before letting it burn its way down his throat. A sigh escaped his lips; this was the only to survive this torture. 

Allowing himself to luxury of slouching he closed his eyes and tried to relax. Scott planned to sit like that for a while, taking the occasional sip until all his drink was gone and it was time to order food, as was his usual AGM ritual. He paid good money for the privacy this club gave him; he damn well was going to enjoy it. 

“Scott Tracy!? Is that really you?”

Scott groaned inwardly, reluctantly opening his eyes to the intruder. Standing in front of him was an older version of his old school friend Kenneth Robertson, who he had lost touch with when he had joined the Air Force. The man before him was dressed in a good suit but still looked out of place in this high-end establishment, so Scott knew he wasn’t a regular here. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory that popped into his head. 

“Yes, it’s me. You’re looking great, Kenneth.” Scott stood up and shook the man’s hand, the shake firm, though Kenneth went a step further and pulled Scott in for a back slap. A little surprised at the contact, Scott sat back down, trying to compose himself, while Kenneth settled into the seat beside him. 

“So, what have you been up to since you left school? You went to Yale to major in accountancy, right?” 

Kenneth smiled at him. 

“So you do remember us then! We all thought you’d gone and forgotten us when you joined the Force! Yeah, I went to Yale though majored in business management in the end with a minor in accountancy. Remember, Bertie? He went to Yale too, though he majored in mathematics, with a minor in chemistry. He’s currently leading a research group for some big pharmacological company; I can never remember which one. As for me, I’m director of accountancy in my father’s firm, big surprise there. Never expected you to go the same way though.”

Scott gave his friend a small smile. It was true that Kenneth had always been expected to work for his father. The two of them had spoken in depth about it as teenagers, Scott trying to convince Kenneth he didn’t have to follow in his father’s life plan for him. Everyone knew that Scott loved flying and wanted to be a pilot for his own reasons, not just because his father was, and he certainly wanted nothing to do with his father’s business. His father had never expected Scott to take on the business, yet after his father’s accident Scott had felt like he had to become the CEO. He’d already left the Air Force by this point to fly Thunderbird 1 for International Rescue, but his friends didn’t know that. To them he’d left the force to become a businessman. 

“Plans changed. I had no choice after the accident.”

“You could have let someone else take the role. There are so many other people who could have done it Scott. You didn’t have to give up what you love, just because you felt like you had to take your father’s place.”

Kenneth always had a way of getting to the route of the problem, never beating around the bush. Scott had felt like he had to take his father’s place as CEO. The pressure to become head of the family, head of IR and head of TI had been immense. In his grief, he just took on the burden, accepting that it was his role and forcing himself to learn the ropes. 

“I would have let someone else be CEO, if that someone else would have stuck to my father’s vision for the company. Every potential candidate had their own agenda and wanted to take TI to places my father hadn’t wanted it to go. The board are constantly trying to take on projects my father would disagree with and stand in the way of the ones he would have wanted. Only I knew what he really wanted the company to stand for, so it’s my job to keep his legacy alive. I never wanted this, but it’s something I have to do.”

“Damn Scott. You are good at getting yourself stuck with things you don’t want to be, don’t you?”

Kenneth grinned, referring to the time in school when he had mentioned how they could go around the local government run schools and do exciting workshops to their top pupils to help encourage them to apply for the scholarship programme. Only for Scott to end up being the person who, with the help of his head of year, had to plan the whole thing. It did mean he got out of some lessons to do said workshops however he then had to catch up in the evening, which was nowhere near as fun. Thankfully it had been his last year so someone else got the joy the next year. 

“Says the one who fell asleep during an engineering class and managed to superglue a spanner to side of his face!”

“Not fair, I was only tired because you insisted on me standing watch while you had your wicked way with Jasmine!”

“Firstly, it was Judith, and secondly, I returned the favour when you were seeing Angela. I just had the discipline not to fall asleep during class!”

The two men moved to a table and ordered dinner, continuing to reminisce about their school days. Kenneth caught Scott up on what everyone was now doing or not doing, while Scott shared the odd story from his Air Force days and the mishaps, he’d seen at various functions he’d attended over the years. Kenneth happily showed off pictures of his fiancé and extending an invite to the wedding. Scott brushed it off saying he’d have to see what his schedule was like closer to the time but did swap digital business cards with man and telling him the best way to contact him was through his secretary. After dinner Kenneth excused himself, wanting to get back to his hotel so he can catch up with his fiancé. Scott paid the bill and headed back to his hotel, thankful that he’d had good dinner company for once. 

Once in his suite, he changed into his nightwear and decanted himself another whiskey, thinking over the surprise meeting. Kenneth had been there to meet a high-end client who was a member and was flying home on the Friday night. Part of Scott wished he could tell Kenneth that he was living his dream, that flying Thunderbird 1 was better than any plane the Air Force or even the GDF could offer him. Looking at the itinerary on his phone, he could see he was required at a function the next night; a black-tie event with lots of businessmen trying to outdo each other with their successes. Sighing, Scott looked at the business card of his old school friend, half-wishing he could spend another night reminiscing on their schooldays. Sending a quick message to his secretary, telling her to pass on any mail from Kenneth straight to him, Scott decided that maybe, just maybe, he would try to make it to the man’s wedding. His family were always pestering him about not taking time for himself, so maybe this would do him some good.


	9. Day 9 - Hot Beverage

John was curled up in a chair on the veranda after another day of training at the ranch. His muscles were starting to complain from being pushed so hard, but he knew it was for the best. He had to keep his fitness up and he'd rather this than have Kayo, Scott and Virgil harassing him about it. Looking at his watch, it was still 15 minutes until the meteorite shower was due to start. He was glad they'd have a good view, knowing his family would ruin the silence and join him. 

As if on que, Virgil and Scott appeared carrying a chair each, which they placed down beside him before heading off to get more. They were replaced by the terrible two, already arguing about something, before heading back in. Within minutes the veranda was full of his family hustling about trying to get the comfiest cushions. John smiled as Gordon and Alan's argument led to a pillow fight, which Scott managed to break up while still holding an arm full of blankets, though not before a cushion ended up over the side in the dirt. Alan was given the task of retrieving it, which resulted in it flying at Gordon's head. 

Kayo slipping into the seat by Virgil while Brains and Max sat closest to the door, well clear of the hazard zone Alan and Gordon create. Scott passed the blankets out, making sure Grandma's favourite one was left on her seat before heading into the house to find her. Looking up at the sky he normally called home, John watched the first meteorite cross the sky. It was followed a minute later by another and another, causing everyone to settle down. The veranda was so still as they watched John did a double take, only to sit back and enjoy the quiet company while it lasted. 

As the shooting stars became more frequent, Scott and Grandma came out onto the veranda and passed out mugs of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows floating on the top. John thanked Scott as he handed one to him before taking the seat next to his, before taking a sip from a mug decorated in planes. John took a sip from his mug, which displayed the constellations of the southern hemisphere, and continued to enjoy the spectacle in the sky. 

"Hey Gordon, that's enough! Now pass that here!" 

John sighed looking over to see the mountain of squirty cream towering from Gordon’s mug. 

"Almost finished" Gordon teased before holding the nozzle to his mouth and filling it with cream.

"Hey! Not fair!"

His youngest brother tried to swipe the bottle from Gordon's hands but failed. 

"Open up then!" Gordon grinned. John turned back to the sky knowing there was only one way this was going to end. 

"Gordon!!" Alan cried over Gordon's hysterical laughter. 

A quick glance to his left confirmed that there was now cream all over Alan’s face, the can now in the hands of Virgil and from the look on Gordon’s face, he was getting a scowl from Grandma. He also caught Scott taking a quick sip from a hipflask before secreting it back into his pocket. John took a sip of his hot chocolate, sucking up a marshmallow, eyes gazing back at the night sky.


	10. Day 10 - Expression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This occurs at the end of Series 3 Episode 12 SOS Part 1.

Gordon stepped out of the changing room into hanger, only to be met by a fuming Scott. Scott had been standing there waiting for him, hand on his hips and a deep frown on his face. Gordon ignored this and gave him a smile.

“Hi Scott! Heard your rescue went well!”

“You took Thunderbird 1 out to rescue of a dog.”

“Sherbet is a valuable member of the team. I had to make sure he was found.”

Scott didn’t even twitch. Damn, he was mad. Gordon played it cool and kept quiet. So, he’d been played by Parker, no one got hurt and it wasn’t like Thunderbird 1 was actually going to be launched for a rescue anyway.

“It wasn’t an authorised rescue and you didn’t even try to contact Lady Penelope to confirm Sherbet wasn’t with her. You were meant to be on call in case of an actual rescue.”

Gordon looked around Scott towards the elevator to the house, wondering if he could get there before Scott. Looking back at Scott made Gordon feel like he’d been caught stealing biscuits again, which he hadn’t been caught doing since he was nine. 

“So, it turned out not be a rescue in the end, and it’s not the first time we’ve been called out for nothing.”

Nope, this wasn’t working, Scott’s frown still hadn’t faltered. Gordon was struggling to keep the smile on his face. His stomach grumbled, making Scott looking him over top to bottom. Gordon wanted to roll his eyes but didn’t dare. 

“I’ve reviewed the flight data and training records. I’ve moved your scheduled Thunderbird 1 refresher course to tomorrow. We’ll start with correct launch procedures before ….”

Scott’s wrist buzzed and John was suddenly floating between them. 

“Sorry to interrupt Scott, but Thunderbird 1 is required for a rescue. I’ll brief you in the sky.”

“FAB John.” Scott looked Gordon in the eye. “Don’t think this is finished. We’ll discuss this later.”

Scott walked past Gordon into the changing rooms and Gordon legged it to the elevator. The second shower had finally washed away the worst of the polecat stink, however he hadn’t cleaned the chair of Thunderbird 1 yet, and Gordon wanted to be as far away from Scott as possible when he found out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end of SOS Part 1, Scott is overseeing Gordon on the computer as Braman's SOS resounds through Tracy Island. I imagine that this is Scott supervising Gordon's Thunderbird 1 refresher training.


	11. Day 11 - Eyes

Everyone had told Clara that hiking alone was risky, and she would have listened to them, if she had someone to hike with her. However, no one ever volunteered to accompany her, and the organised hikes were often so boring and not worth the money, especially when she could just go alone for half the price. Also, there was a thrill to hiking alone, knowing it was just her wit and map-reading skills that were going to get her to her next camp. She’d never given her friends concerns a second thought, until today. 

Today, she had walked on an old mountain path, one that happened to be eroding away. She knew she should have turned back and taken the long way round, then made up for the lost time by walking through her rest day, however she had really wanted to get to the viewpoint that was at her next camp. The sunset over the hills was meant to be exceptional. It was all going well, until the dirt gave way beneath her feet and she slipped down the mountain. She hit her head on the ridge as she fell. She had tried to grab at the uneven cliff face, but she only brought down more soil and stones. Her fall came to an end when she hit a ledge. Clara’s landing had been awkward, and she felt a searing pain in her ankle. Clara placed her hand on the side of her head, trying to ease the pain pulsing there, only to feel something sticky. Nausea washed over; she was useless with blood. Carefully, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her emergency beacon and switched it on. She leant back against the cliff closing her eyes trying to hold back the dizziness. 

The next thing Clara remembered was the gentle shaking of her shoulder. Forcing her eyes open, she was rewarded with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. 

“Hey there. I’m Scott, from International Rescue. We picked up your beacon. How about we get you off this mountain?”

Clara’s gaze couldn’t leave his and a nod was all she could manage. She felt him removing her rucksack, though all she could think of was how it had broken their gaze. One arm slipped behind her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, but his eyes were back on hers. Those deep blue pools were beckoning to her like an oasis in the desert. Blinking was starting to annoy her, reducing the time she had to explore his irises. Clara barely registered Scott standing up, or the sound of the jetpack firing up. She only noticed the flight to Thunderbird 1 as the wind blew her hair across her eyes, blocking her view. 

Then she was on a stretcher inside the craft. Clara shook her head to remove the hair from her eyes only for the dizziness to return and nausea to rise to her throat. A dish caught her stomach contents.   
“Try to stay still. It looks like you’ve got a mild concussion, along with a broken ankle and a head wound. I’m going to splint your ankle, then insert a cannula so I can give you some pain killers and anti-sickness medication. Do you consent? Are there any medications you are allergic to?”

Clara looked up and struggled to bring his face into focus. The only thing she could focus on were those concern-filled eyes. She managed a nod then a shake before being forced to close her eyes. He did exactly what he said he would; Clara winced as he secured her ankle only to relax as she felt the medications flow up her arm and take effect. 

“It’s best if you try not to fall asleep,” he said, resting a hand on her shoulder, “I’m just going to strap you down, grab your bag and then we’ll head to the hospital. That’ll give the medication plenty of time to work so hopefully the flight won’t be too bad for you.” 

The reassuring smile on his face made Clara feel safe. 

“Thank you.” She whispered before he disappeared. Lying there, she tried to stay awake, but was hard. Her body was screaming for rest and she wanted reprieve from the dull thud in her head. The vibrations from the engine finished her off and Clara drifted off to sleep, her dreams full of deep blue reassuring eyes.


	12. Day 12 - Food

The food before them looked like it had been eaten before. Grandma had called it cottage pie, though the brown mush on their plates was a long way from their definition of pie. Alan looked around the table, wondering who would be the first to take a bit. Kayo had fished out what might have been a pea and was eyeing it up on the end of her fork. Gordon was looking at him, daring him to go first, however it was Virgil who scooped up a forkful and put it in his mouth. All eyes were on him, and they all watch as he tried to hide the grimace. Alan watched as Virgil’s jaw chewed the food and swallowed. 

“Ummm. Thank you, Grandma. It’s well seasoned.”

Looking down at his plate, Alan scooped up a forkful and bit the bullet. He tried to keep his face straight as the overpowering flavour of cracked pepper took over his mouth. Beneath the pepper was the ghastly taste of the burnt meat. His stomach churned as the food entered it. Alan didn’t want to eat anymore but with Grandma hovering over them, they all continued to eat, their plates very slowly clearing. Scott was so lucky to have been called out on a rescue, saving him from this torture.

“Well, I’ll just nip a plate down to Brains.”

They all watch Grandma leave, waiting for her footsteps to be no longer audible before jumping up from their chairs. Gordon when straight for his favourite pot plant, pulling it by the trunk and exposing a specially dug hidey hole. Kayo when straight for the compost bin, feeling no shame at plonking the food visibly on the top. Alan followed Virgil outside and hurried over to the trees. They each found a bush to feed and deposited of the food before heading back to the kitchen and waiting at the table with the empty plates. They all primed their ears, waiting for the footsteps to return. As footsteps approached Gordon banged his cutlery against his plate as Kayo headed to the dishwasher, Virgil not far behind.

“So, what film do you want to watch tonight Alan, it is your turn to pick right?”

Gordon winked at him, as Grandma came down the steps. The two boys let their chair legs scrap against the floor as they stood, before heading to place their plates in the dishwasher. 

“I was thinking of something with aliens! Though I’ll have to look through the list to see which one I fancy.”

They all thanked Grandma for dinner as they passed her, heading off to various parts of the house, all still hungry. Half an hour later, Thunderbird 1 landed, and they all gathered in the lounge for debrief. Alan had managed to sneak a snack from the stash in his room, and he knew the others probably had too. Alan sat down next to Gordon as Kayo slipped in and sat beside Virgil and they chatted as they waited for Scott.

They all looked up at the sound of footsteps to see Scott walking in with a large box. Surprisingly John was beside him, and then the smell hit Alan’s nose and his stomach grumbled. Scott laughed as he placed the box on the table and he and John started unpacking takeaway tubs of Chinese. 

“Scott, have I even told you how much I love you?” Gordon said while snatching up a box of chow mein and some chopsticks. They all laughed. 

“I thought we needed a treat.”

Scott grinned as he scooped some noodles into his mouth. Debrief occurred casually, between mouthfuls of food, and when their bellies were full, they put on a movie and enjoyed an evening relaxing as a family.


	13. Day 13 - Gifts

Being CEO had its perks. His father had set up various foundations through Tracy Industries, each funded from its revenue as a way of giving back and making the world a little bit better. The Sick Superhero’s foundation was set up to help underfunded children’s hospitals, especially in impoverished parts of the world. Funds were used to buy treatments, pay for nurses and equipment. It also worked to make life in the hospital more bearable for the children, by making sure the wards were welcoming and there were plenty of toys and activities for them to do. 

It was Christmas Eve and the brothers were visiting some of the hospitals to hand out presents. Virgil and Gordon were visiting two in Africa, while John and Alan were visiting one in Brazil and another in Bolivia. He was currently in the Detroit Children’s hospital and would be heading to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital after lunch. All the children he was giving presents to were set to be spending Christmas in hospital, and Scott always struggled to keep his eyes dry when they explained what was wrong with the patient. These young people were some of the strongest people he would ever meet. He felt honoured to meet them.

The last child on his list to visit was Gracie. Stepping into her hospital room, the walls covered in her drawings as she sat in bed colouring. Her ginger hair was in long messy plaits and when she looked up, she gave him the biggest smile, her green eyes sparkling. She waved and Scott sat in the chair beside her bed. 

“I love all your drawings, they’re very good. Are you going to be an artist when you grow up?”

“Maybe” The 6-year-old spoke quietly, suddenly shy. She continued to colour in her picture, which appeared to be a girl on a horse. 

“What’s the horse’s name?”

“Princess. That’s me on her back. I’m Gracie. What’s your name?”

“I’m Scott. Do you know why I’m here Gracie?”

The little girl looked back at her picture and continued. When she sat still the only thing that gave away that she was sick was the oxygen tube going into her nose. Yet as she coloured Scott could see how her hand was struggling to grip the pencil. Gracie was recovering from a stroke she had three months ago, getting physical therapy to help get the use of her right hand back. Her recovery had been hampered recently when she got a lung infection that became pneumonia and ended up in the ICU. Only that week had she returned to the ward, her lungs still needing extra oxygen. Had Christmas been two days later she’d probably be home for it. 

“You’re the superhero bring everyone presents.”

Scott laughed. 

“I’m no superhero. I’m just the guy who gets to try and make you smile for a little bit. You’re the real superhero.”

Gracie looked up and smiled at him. 

“I prefer it if you were a superhero. You could go save other people who need help. You’d have this big red cape and blue underpants.”

Gracie suddenly grabbed a new piece of paper and started colouring. Scott watched as she drew a person with short brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in a green outfit, with blue underpants over the top and a large red cape blowing behind them. A big yellow S was on the front. At the top she wrote ‘Super Scott’.

“Tada! Now you can go rescue people!”

Gracie handed him the drawing and gave him a hug. Scott could feel how weak her right arm was compared to her left and it hurt that this child had to stay in for Christmas. 

“Shall I put this on my wall when I get home?”

“YES!” Gracie jumped on the bed, falling to one side and scattering pencils on the floor. Scott picked them up and out of the corner of his eye saw the present being placed at the end of Gracie’s bed, a signal to him that it was time to wrap it up. 

“I have to get going now Gracie. I’ve other kids to visit, but I’ve enjoyed spending time with you. Thank you for the picture and get well soon.”

“Goodbye Scott!”

“Goodbye Gracie.”

Scott got up, picture in hand and waved as he left her room. He hoped the paint set and easel would not only help her recovery but spark something more in the obviously creative little girl. He smiled thinking of all the paintings she’ll be hanging on her bedroom wall at home. Scott looked down at Super Scott before handing it to his assistant to keep flat in his folder. He planned to pin it on the noticeboard board in his room, just in case he needed to remind himself that there were people he needed to rescue.


	14. Day 14 - Message

Gordon had managed to get a month away from International Rescue, and as much as he missed piloting Thunderbird 4, being on the Descender was incredible. He had spent his days studying the deep ocean and surveying the creatures of its depth. Gordon’s technical expertise was invaluable to the scientists and he’d managed to get them out of few rough patches. 

Each of his brothers had called him, checking up on him in their own manner. Scott called every day for a ten-minute briefing, and to make sure he wasn’t being a nuisance. Virgil had called every two days, checking up on how he was, and they always ended up bantering. Gordon was sure Virgil was missing his usual co-pilot. John had called in once to warn him about a hurricane that was building near their location, just in case the sea currents might affect them or if the scientists wanted to take some extra readings. Alan had pestered him a few times and they had planned a few jokes he could play on the others to stop them from missing him so much. 

The only person he hadn’t heard was Penelope. Gordon hadn’t heard from her in over two weeks, and while they were just friends, for the moment at least, he’d hoped that she would at least call once to see how he was. He had tried to convince himself she was busy at first, at social events or doing some investigative work for International Rescue, but none of those things would stop her from at least calling once in the past two weeks. 

Gordon settled down to bed, filling in the last of the updates he needed to do before he could go to sleep. Sighing, he flicked up his contacts and scrolled through to Penelope. Clicking on the contact, his finger hovered over the call button. The display showed London time to be 3:24 am, so Gordon let his finger fall. Instead he pushed the message button and sent one line before pulling the sheets over himself. 

***  
Penelope was in the dining room having breakfast alone. As she took a sip of tea, she checked her communicator for any messages, and was pleasantly surprised to find one from Gordon. She smiled as she read it, only for Parker to walk in with Sherbet at his feet. 

“What’s amusing you, m’Lady?”

“I wonder if you could help me, Parker. Do you know what lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?”


	15. Day 15 - Hair

With Scott away from the island on a rescue, Gordon found the perfect opportunity to strike. Gordon was fed up of Alan calling him ‘chicken’ for refusing a dare. Alan had dared him to mess up Scott’s hair, but on that day, Scott had been fighting with some GDF bureaucracy, putting him in a foul mood. Even a quick mess up with his hand would have caused Hell’s fire to rain down on him, so Gordon had refused. Alan had been rubbing it in ever since and the only way to make it stop was to go big, or at least as big as he’d dared.

Gordon crept into Scott’s en-suite and located his shampoo bottle. Quickly removing the top, he squeezed in a pale liquid, and shook it up. He did the same with the conditioner. Putting the bottles back in their precise spot, Gordon snuck back out. Now all he had to do was wait. It was evening and Scott normally showered in the hangar’s changing room after a rescue, so Gordon was going to have to wait until Scott had his post run shower in the morning, to see if the special ingredient had any effect. 

***  
The next day, Gordon was sitting at the breakfast table eating. 

“GORDON!!!!!!!!”

Gordon smiled as he got up and followed the voice to its source. As he entered the lounge from below a fuming Scott stormed in from the other side. 

“GORDON COOPER TRACY! YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME!”

Scott was marching towards him on a war path and Gordon decided to run, his face grinning as he ran back down the stairs, round the pool and up one of the trails. Looking back at Scott, dressed only in trousers, confirmed that the hair lightener had worked and his brother’s brown locks were now a sandy brown colour. How long did he leave it on for?! Scott was giving chase and starting to gain so Gordon looked forward and sprinted harder.

“You’re going to pay for this, Gordon!” 

“At least you won’t have to worry about those grey hairs anymore!”

Gordon laughed taking the trail up to the round house, letting himself in and heading into the lift. The doors closed as Scott charged through the room towards him. 

***  
Five hours later Alan came up behind him. He was in Thunderbird 4 giving it a deep clean. He had to deep clean every thunderbird, but Scott had made him start with his first, knowing it was the dirtiest. Having already found three very mouldy celery bars and something that was beyond recognition he was starting to disgust himself. 

“I can’t believe you did it! You’re absolutely crazy! Scott’s going to give you all the worst jobs for the next month!”

Gordon looked at his brother’s grin and couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Scott sent Grandma out to get some brown hair dye, and he’s refusing to take any calls unless its voice only! Virgil struggled to hide his smirk when he saw, and the glare Scott gave him only made it harder! I’ve taken a few photos and sent them to John so he could see too. I’m sure he’s stored them in some secret folder on the server too.”

Standing up, Gordon put down the scrubbing brush and pulled off the protective gloves before standing next to his younger brother. 

“Let’s see the photos, I never want to forget this.”


	16. Day 16 - Item of importance

Alan was tidying his room after Scott had seen the mess that had built up after a week of almost nonstop rescues. Thankfully most of it was dirty laundry which he plonked straight into a washing machine in the utility room. The dirty dishes, he took to the kitchen to wash up and then he started sorting through the rest. The blankets and cushions went in the draws under his bed. He flipped through his schoolwork, putting away what was complete and leaving the stuff he needed to get done on the desk, to remind him to do it. The last of it he put in his large closet. 

Alan opened the doors and started to put the stuff in various labelled boxes, courtesy of Scott. Alan had to admit it was useful, all his computer games in one box and the accessories were in another. Both were kept at waist height, which meant he could be in his room and online playing within five minutes of a debrief ending. It also meant that Scott knew exactly where it all was, and on more than one occasion had removed and hidden the boxes as punishment, or to ensure he did his schoolwork. 

Looking up the shelves of boxes, he noted the ‘Other Stuff’ box on the top shelf. Looking back into his now tidy room, Alan’s gaze returned to the box with curiosity. What had he put in the ‘Other Stuff’ box? He grabbed his desk chair, climbed up and pulled the box off the shelf. He carried it into the room and sat with it on the floor.

The first thing he saw was the model of the lunar base which his father and Captain Taylor had lived in during their first mission to Mars. It had been a school project and having access to all Dad’s records meant he could make the most accurate model. Alan knew if Virgil had been allowed to help it would have been better and not as wonky, but it did add character. Virgil had taken him into his studio and given Alan a crash course in painting. Alan had enjoyed the time spent with his brother more than making the model. Virgil had sat beside him watching him paint, giving suggestions and sharing the stories Dad had told of the mission, some of which Alan had forgotten. The school had displayed it for months and when it was time for the display to be changed, had given it back to Alan, who couldn’t bring himself to recycle it, so it had ended up in the ‘Other’ box. 

Beneath the model were some old toys. There was an old Spitfire plane that had been passed from brother to brother, which their Grandfather had given Scott on his 5th birthday, along with a F-46A Shrike*, a KC-46 Pegasus and a weathered Apollo spaceship with detachable modules which had been his father’s favourite childhood toy. Alan smiled as he picked the spacecraft up and detached all the modules before putting them all back together again. His father had given it to him when he realised Alan had become fascinated with space, though apparently it had taken Grandma an age to find in the loft of her old house.

There were a few broken things in there which Alan had once been reluctant to throw away but could no longer remember why, so he put them in the bin for recycling. The last thing in the box was a stuffed rabbit in an oversized flowery T-shirt. Alan picked up the rabbit and lent against the bed. It had droopy ears and had been imaginatively named Mr Rabbit. He’d had it for as long as he could remember, and it was something he never wanted to throw away. He didn’t know why it meant so much to him, but it did, though he hid it from Gordon to avoid being teased. That was why it was in the other box. Alan smiled as he started to play with the rabbit, making it dance and clap its hands. 

“I haven’t seen you play with Mr Rabbit for years.”

Alan looked up shocked, cheeks reddening as he saw Scott in the doorway smiling at him. 

“I…I…I was just cleaning out the box…. getting rid of some old things.”

Scott walked into the room and sat down beside him. His brother took the rabbit from Alan’s hands, grasped it from behind and made it dance. 

“I hope you’re not thinking of getting rid of Mr Rabbit. He went everywhere with you when you were little. Once you refused to hold my hand, so I had to hold one of Mr Rabbit’s while you held the other!”

“I wasn’t going to get rid of him. I just forgot I’d put him in the ‘Other Stuff’ box.”

The brothers sat there for a few minutes. Alan watch as Scott inspected the rabbit before rubbing the flowery shirt. Looking at Scott’s face, Alan could see a sadness in his brother’s eyes but didn’t know what to say. His brother just continued to play with the shirt, deep in thought. 

“Mum gave you this rabbit. She was the one who called him Mr Rabbit. I think she thought you would pick a new one for him, but you never did.”

Alan’s heart leapt, suddenly realising why he valued the cuddly toy so much. He had so few memories of his mother but the association of the rabbit with her must run deeper. He took the rabbit from Scott and ran his hands over its head, brushing back its long floppy ears. Alan’s fingers touched the T-shirt, just as Scott just had, wondering if his mother was the one to have dressed Mr Rabbit. 

“Grandma made that T-shirt out of one of Mum’s tops after she died. You didn’t understand why mum wasn’t there. You struggled to sleep, even with Mr Rabbit and your favourite blanket wrapped around you. One afternoon we lost you, only to find you asleep on the floor of Mum and Dad’s room cuddling this top. You’d taken it out of one of the drawers. The next few nights you slept well, as long at this top was with you. Grandma said you couldn’t sleep like that forever so sat you down on her lap and made you watch her make it into a T-shirt for Mr Rabbit. You cried when she first cutting the fabric but once you saw the T-shirt being pulled over Mr Rabbit’s head you settled down. You slept much better afterwards too.”

Alan didn’t remember that. No wonder Scott had looked sad when he was looking at the T-shirt, he had memories of seeing Mum in it. Looking at the shirt now, it had so much more meaning to Alan. His Mum had once worn it and it made him feel just that little bit closer to her. Virgil suddenly poked his head around the door to give them a five-minute warning for dinner. Scott got up and put all the toys carefully back in the box, smiling as he handled his old Spitfire. 

“Is Mr Rabbit going back in?” Scott stood up and Alan looked at the rabbit, not sure that it really deserved a life in a box.

“Not yet.”

Alan went over to his bed and tucked Mr Rabbit in. Scott put the box back on the top shelf and moved the desk chair back under the desk, before pulling Alan into a hug, which Alan returned. Releasing him, but keeping one hand on his shoulder, Scott lead Alan out of his room. 

“Good job on the tiding, by the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This is a plane I made up as I didn’t want them all to be old planes that are likely to be out of service in by 2060. I based the name off current US aircraft names.


	17. Day 17 - Flower

Sally lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. She didn’t want to get out of bed but knew she had to, even if it was just to check on the boys. They would be struggling today, just as much as she would. Another half an hour wouldn’t hurt right? Sally thought to herself. Lying on her side, she spotted a large bouquet of lilies and freesias in an elegant vase on her bedside table. There was a green ribbon tying a note to the vase and Sally smiled knowing exactly who had snuck into her room and placed it there. Reaching out confirmed her suspicions as the note read: “Happy Mother’s Day Grandma. Love Virgil.”

Virgil always knew how to make the best of any situation, even if it meant sneaking into her room so she could wake up to something special, and so he could get his lie in too. There was a knock at the door and Sally sat herself up in bed before calling out. In came Scott and Gordon, Scott carrying a tray of breakfast and Gordon carrying a potted Agapanthus plant. 

“Good morning Grandma,” Scott smiled placing the tray over her lap. “Happy Mother’s Day!”

The tray contained a plate of freshly made pancakes with strawberries, raspberries and cream on top. There was also a small jug of maple syrup next to a glass of orange juice. In the left-hand corner was a box of chocolates, each one a delicate flower shape, a yellow ribbon attaching the note to it, and a box of fancy chamomile tea, with an orange ribbon around it. 

“Happy Mother’s Day Grandma. Shall I put this on the balcony for you?”

Sally looked up at Gordon, who was still carrying the plant, though on closer inspection there was a blue ribbon around the blue pot. 

“Yes please, Gordon, though Scott should really have carried that up.”

Sally watch as Scott looked a little sheepish at the comment, though she knew he just didn’t want a repeat of her birthday when Alan and Gordon managed to drop her breakfast on the bed. After a generous drizzle of maple syrup, Sally took a bite of the pancakes. They were delicious. 

“Thank you, boys.”

Her grandsons left her to eat her breakfast in peace. As she ate, Sally wondered what she had done to deserve such amazing grandsons, who went out their way to think of her. It hurt that they had lost their mother so young and she remembered those first Mother’s Days after her death, the boys had all cried at some point in the day. She had Jeff back then, but now he was gone his sons had taken it upon themselves to remind her she was still a mother. She’d make sure to give them all an extra hug today. 

***

Sally had just finished dressing when the second knock came. This time Alan, still in his pyjamas, came in. In his arms was a strawberry plant covered in little white flowers. His hair was still a mess and she could see the sleep in his eyes, but he smiled at her.

“Happy Mother’s Day”

“Thank you, Alan.”

Sally took the plant from the boy and carried out to her balcony placing it next to the pot of wild daisies that had bloomed recently. Heading back in she pulled Alan into a hug. She held him tight knowing he didn’t remember a Mother’s Day with his own mother. Letting the lad go, she picked up the breakfast tray.

“Let’s go see if your brothers left you any pancakes.”


	18. Day 18 - Tuck in

It was their first family holiday since they had lost Lucille, almost a year ago. Jeff looked out of the cabin window and was barely able to make out the lake through the torrential rain. The boys needed to be outside, enjoying themselves, not kept inside by this storm. Jeff sighed, they’d exhausted the boardgames this afternoon and he was thankful that they had all managed to settle into bed, but the storm was picking up, and the idea of trying to entertain five young boys in a cabin for yet another day was daunting. Gordon was already bouncing off the walls and was annoying Scott relentlessly, Virgil was running low on art supplies and John was starting to read the old books on the shelves having gone through the ones he had brought along. 

The flash of lightning brought Jeff out of his thoughts. He went to the kitchen to make a hot drink, the thunder roaring, amplified by the hills around them. He was sitting down on the sofa with his hands wrapped round the warm mug when the second one rumble came and was about to turn on the projector when the third one echoed off the mountains. 

“Daddy.”

Jeff turned towards the source of the small voice. In the passageway was a sleepy toddler, arms clutching at his toy rabbit. Alan’s little body shook at the next rumble of thunder and with that Jeff was off the sofa and pulling Alan into his arms. The boy collapsed against him, snuggling into his chest. Jeff carried him to the sofa, cooing in his ear, and rocking him gently. Jeff sat with his scared son, rubbing his back and feeling every startled twitch the young boy made. Kissing Alan head, Jeff closed his eyes and lay his face against the soft hair, wishing he could make the storm go away. 

“Daddy, the storm is too loud.”

Jeff looked over his shoulder to see Gordon standing with a blanket over his shoulders. He could see the worry on the boy’s face and beckoned him over with a quick wave of his hand. Gordon climbed onto the sofa and curled up into Jeff’s side. Taking one hand off Alan, he adjusted the fish-covered blanket so it covered Gordon’s toes, then pulled the boy close. 

“You are both very brave, remember that.”

Jeff received a sleepy smile from Gordon. Sitting there with his youngest boys made Jeff feel less alone in the storm of his life. Losing Lucille had hit him hard, and he’d struggled to keep himself going. With the help of his mother, he’d pulled through and managed to find his way again. The boys had survived too, despite his inadequacy. They would all never be whole again, but in this moment, Jeff knew they would be okay. He may no longer have the love of his life, but he still had the beautiful children they had created. It was his job to make sure they remembered her and lived the full lives she would have wanted them to. 

Jeff stoked Gordon’s sleeping head before carefully lifting the boy’s head and extraditing himself from the sofa. Gordon stirred but stayed asleep. Jeff carried Alan to the master bedroom and tucked him and Mr Rabbit in. Heading back to the sofa, he scooped up Gordon and tucked him in next to his little brother. Quietly, Jeff changed for bed before climbing in next to the boys. He gave them one last kiss goodnight before letting sleep take him, thankful that tonight he wasn’t alone.


	19. Day 19 - Home

After two long weeks in Germany, overseeing the new European headquarters of Tracy Industries, Jeff was happy to be back on US soil. Exhausted from the travel Jeff had taken a taxi back home from the airport. Sitting back, he watched the familiar landscape pass by as he was driven closer and closer to the farm. Relief filled him as the car drove up the drive stopping out the front. He'd managed to get on an earlier flight than planned so no one was expecting him to be home yet.

Taking his bags out the trunk, Jeff walked up the steps onto the porch and lay the bags against the side of the house. Turning the handle, he found the door unlocked and headed to the living room. As expected, everyone was there, and it didn't take long for them to spot him.

"Daddy!"

John was the closest and wrapped his arms around Jeff's legs, only for Virgil to wrap himself around Jeff’s hips and Scott came in last and squeezed Jeff’s waist. Jeff smiled down at his boys, placing a hand tenderly on each of their heads before kneeling and pulling them all into one big hug. Little hands tugged on his waistband, and Jeff smiled down at Gordon as he pulled himself up, not wanting to be left out. Letting the older boys go he grabbed the baby and gave him a big cuddle before blowing a raspberry on his belly, sending the boy into a fit of giggles.

Placing Gordon on the floor, Jeff stood and made his way over to Lucille, who was standing waiting. He placed his hands on her round belly. Lucille smiled at him as the baby moved beneath his hands, welcoming him back. Lucille placed her arms around Jeff's neck and pulled him into a long kiss. Jeff removed his hands from her belly and hugged his wife. The tension fell from his shoulders as he relaxed into her embrace, finally home.


	20. Day 20 - Kiss

It was a Saturday and John had gotten permission to head over to the neighbouring Girls Boarding School to see his girlfriend Samantha. They were both sixteen and had met through the astronomy club’s yearly sleepover at the observatory. Looking at the stars, they had started chatting about them, comparing favourite constellations, which had led to general conversation. Their friendship had quickly progressed to them becoming a couple. This was going to be their second date, not that it was easy to date seeing as they had to get permission and she often had gymnastics competitions to go to, but today they were both free and John had gotten them a picnic. 

As the car pulled up in front of the main school building, there was Samantha, standing on the steps in a flowing summer dress. John’s heart started to race, and his hands started to sweat, but he tried to exit the car as smoothly as possible. Nipping around the back, he tucked the picnic basket into the crook of his arm and slung his blanket over the top. He had brought the handmade one from his bed, for luck. Looking up, he gave Samantha a smile and headed in her direction. She walked gracefully down the steps and slipped her arm in his. John felt his pulse race further at her touch and closeness. 

Arm in arm, they headed away from the building towards the open fields. There were rules to this encounter, one of which was that they had to stay within sight of the school building. Samantha had informed him that a teacher would be watching them the entire time, though looking around, they must have been doing so discretely as John couldn’t see anyone. They found a spot in the open field amongst a patch of daisies. John lay the blanket down and the couple sat down together. John watched as Samantha turned her face to the sky, letting the spring sun warm her skin. They chatted for a while, catching up on the things they had missed since they had last spoke. John told Samantha of the antics that had happened the previous night in the common room, making her laugh. He thought her laugh was wonderful. 

As John was looking at her face, their eyes met. The laughing became a smile as he looked into those large chocolate coloured eyes. It was like they were connected, and the world around them seemed to shrink. It was just the two of them, and without realising it John started moving his head closer to hers. Her eyes seemed to beckon him closer and then her lips touched his. He responded on instinct as her soft lips cover his, his hand moving up onto her shoulder and his eyes closed. When they broke apart, his lips continued to tingle at that contact, a blush creeping over his checks. He couldn’t help the goofy grin that came next. He’d just had his first kiss! They kissed a few more times before opening the basket and enjoying a lovely lunch in the sun. 

After lunch John walked Samantha back to the school building, where the car was waiting to take him and a few other boys back to their school. After giving Samantha a goodbye kiss, he climbed in the car and waved at her before she entered the building. Michael, who was in the seat next to him, thrust an elbow in his side. 

“Nice going Johnny boy. Managed to get yourself a girlfriend!”  
John smiled awkwardly back at him, wishing he didn’t have to share the car with the other boys. He sat back, quite content to sit quietly and run through the picnic over and over in his head, remembering all the good feelings that came with kissing a girl.


	21. Day 21 - Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This continues on from Day 6 - Date

Gordon was full of awe and wonder. Looking over at his sleeping wife, heart full of love for the woman who had just brought a new life into the world. She looked beautiful, despite the hospital surroundings. Gordon wanted to reach over and run his hand through her golden locks but held back knowing she needed the sleep. 

His eyes lowered to the bundle in the crib. His son had arrived. Perfectly formed, healthy and sleeping soundly. Gordon smiled down at his baby, still in awe that he was theirs, yet at the same time feeling the weight of fatherhood on his shoulders. Gordon smiled as he remembered his first cries, his heart skipping a beat as he watched the nurse put the screaming newborn on Penelope's chest. He had cut the cord when they told him to but couldn't stop staring at his wife and baby. 

After they had cleaned him up, he was placed in Gordon's shaking arms. The small body held close to his and looking into those new blue eyes, Gordon knew he was holding the most precious thing in the world. Fears of dropping him, of not being good enough were in his mind amongst the feelings of awe, pride and love. Gordon had held his son as the baby fell asleep. He looked up into Penelope's smiling exhausted face, both wanting to take in every moment with their baby. Kissing Penelope's forehead, he had encouraged her to sleep, which she relented to. Gordon held his son a while longer before he lay him gently in the crib. 

Sitting down in the chair, Gordon let his head lean back. It wouldn’t be long before his brothers and the rest of his family came to see the new arrival. He smiled, imagining the chaos to come. His gaze still fixed on their new little family, his eyes drifted shut, his own exhaustion finally taking him.


	22. Day 22 - Memory

Virgil took the canvas off his bedroom wall. It had been there a while and he needed something new. Carrying it carefully, he took it down to his store cupboard, which he had specially designed for the storage of canvas paintings. Virgil placed the canvas into its designated storage case before stepping back and reviewing the room.

Virgil didn’t have a particular painting in mind like he normally did when he wanted a change of scene, however he had a desire to put up some of his earlier work. He walked along the cases until he reached the ones which had been in storage longest. The cases around him now contained the paintings he’d done in his teenage years. His hands carefully slid open the top drawer of the case containing paintings he’d done during Art Club. Most had been thrown away as they were small and incomplete from where he had been practicing the various techniques demonstrated to the class of budding artists. Virgil had kept most of the completed paintings that he had done, some of which had been entered into interschool art competitions, and even won prizes. 

The first drawer contained black and white paintings, one a portrait of John, another of a street everyone had been instructed to paint and one of the school herb garden. Virgil had wanted to paint a picture of his older brother but pinning him down had been hard and Virgil knew John would sit still, especially as Virgil let him sit with a book. Virgil was proud of how be managed to capture John, sitting in a window reading, with half his face in shadow. His teacher had been really impressed and would have displayed it had Virgil not convinced her not to, knowing John would prefer it that way. John’s body had definitely changed during his teenage years, but the character was still noticeably him. 

Moving onto the next drawer down, there were a few still life paintings, two were in the impressionist style. Virgil quickly moved on, knowing the next three drawers contained what he wanted. He realised he wanted a landscape, something to remind him that there was something else, other than the island and rescues. They were also some of his favourites to paint, especially at school, as he would often go on the fortnightly painting daytrip. The art teachers would pick a location and load a minivan with supplies, from oil pastels to watercolour to acrylic, canvases and a picnic lunch, then drive them to an unannounced location where the artists were let loose to be creative. Most of the teachers would join in, their own creations slowly coming to life. They had been some of Virgil’s best days at school, relaxing with a paintbrush in a random field, just painting and living in the moment, entirely carefree. 

The first drawer contained more industrial landscapes, such as the town centre and the local airfield. Scott had hung that painting on the wall in his room for a while, as Virgil had managed to capture an old P-51 Mustang taking off. It had been replaced by a painting of a A-10 Thunderbolt II Virgil had done for him as a birthday present, after Scott had told him how much he had enjoyed flying it during one of the training courses he’d done in the air force. 

The second drawer contained more traditional landscapes, there was one of a river winding through a green valley, but it was the landscape which he’d painted at the top of the rocky hill that he pulled from the drawer. There had thankfully been only a light breeze that day, and the sun had shone amazingly through the scanty clouds. The way the sun hit the hills in the distance, the wooded area on one side slowly petering out to be replaced by fields of corn on the other. Looking at the composition made him smile and brought a lightness to his heart. This was the painting he wanted to ponder and gaze over for the next month. Placing in against the cabinet behind him, he slid the drawer closed. The next drawer contained bleaker landscapes, painted on days when the weather was bad or not ideal. 

Just as Virgil was about to stand, his eyes rested on the bottom drawer. He couldn’t remember what he had stored in it. Curiosity got the better of him and he pulled it open. A grin crossed his face as he looked at the single canvas that occupied the drawer. It was a painting he done when he was ten, and although not one of his best pieces, it had been the best one he’d done at the time. It was a painting of the family farm. Virgil remembered pouring his heart into the painting, the grief for his mother fuelling his need to paint that day. He had been so proud of the painting, and he remember the way Grandma had held him after she had watched him sign his name at the bottom. His father was away that weekend and Virgil was eager to show him on his return, however his father had never seen it as Grandma had. Virgil had left the painting in his room, against the wall by his desk, and he’d left his paints open on the desk as he had been planning to start a new one before being called to do chores. Upon his return, less than an hour later, he’d found Gordon and Alan in his room, both covered in his precious paints. He’d screamed, causing everyone to come running. Scott and John had just stood there in shock while Grandma fumed. She’d grabbed the two paint-covered boys and marched them to the bathroom with time out and no dessert for dinner their punishment. Virgil remembered looking at the mess on floor and desk, as well as the feeling of horror when he saw the red handprint on his painting. He’d walked up to it and collapsed into tears. Scott was by his side almost immediately, pulling him into a hug, while John went and got the mop and bucket and started cleaning the floor. Virgil had given his youngest brothers the silent treatment for the next week, only relenting went Alan had fallen over and he was the only one nearby. 

Looking at the painting now Virgil could reflect on the day without pain. Sure, it had hurt at the time, but now it was just one of the days Gordon and Alan had gone too far, and they had learnt their lesson. Virgil placed his hand over the small red handprint on the canvas, wondering if Alan even remembered putting it there. Taking one last look at the handprint, Virgil closed the drawer. One day he’d take that painting out and show Alan, maybe when he had a kid of his own. Standing up and retrieving the landscape from behind him, Virgil left the storeroom, knowing he’d be heading back down memory lane soon.


	23. Day 23 - Music

Virgil was standing in the dark. He knew his body was there, but he couldn't see it. Looking around there was no end to the blackness, and he felt a shiver down his spine. He had no idea where he was. Virgil tried to think of the last thing he could remember only for a searing pain to rip through his head. He smelt dust. Instinct told him he had been on a rescue, but it didn't feel like he was on one now. 

Virgil closed his eyes, not that it changed the view, and focused on anything he could hear. Turning his head to the left he heard nothing but to the right was a faint sound. Taking a step closer and his chest felt constricted, but the sound became a persistent beep. It was horribly familiar, and it filled him with fear. A hospital couldn't be this dark could it? Taking a step closer to the beeping and he was gasping for breath, and a gentle rhythmic whooshing joined the beeping. They were chillingly familiar sounds. Taking a step closer and Virgil's legs buckled. Pain rain through his back and his hands clutched his abdomen which felt like it had been stabbed. Breathing was almost impossible, his lungs not wanting to work. He wanted to move forward, to find out who was injured. Which of his brothers was in hospital? But the pain was too much. He pushed himself back the way he'd come, and relief flooded his body as he sucked in a breath. 

Virgil lay there, gasping in air, feeling more and more unnerved by the faint hospital sounds. Pushing himself away from the noise and into the silence, he sat catching his breath. It was still pitch black and not knowing where he was terrified Virgil. He felt trapped. 

Virgil stood up, time had passed but how much he didn't know, but nothing had changed. The silence was eerie. Stepping forward again, he heard the faint beeping. Another step more and it sounded closer. Breathing was harder and Virgil debated stepping forward again. Taking another step and the pain returned in his back and abdomen but this time he didn't keel over. The whooshing sound was gone but there was still a pain in his ribs making breathing difficult. Sucking in air, he stepped forward again, the pain intensifying to an almost unbearable level. His knees tried to buckle and just as he was about to let himself fall a whisper stopped him. He couldn't make out the words, but it felt so familiar. The image of Scott entered his head. Focusing on it, he tried to move forward but stumbled, the pain burning his body. Virgil felt tears in his eyes and he suddenly wanted the pain to stop. 

With what little strength he could find Virgil pulled himself away from the pain. Back and back he moved until he fell into the silence. It washed over him, flushing the pain from his body and making it but a memory. Lying in the silence, Virgil took a deep breath. Now the silence felt safe. The tension started to leave his muscles. Virgil wanted to relax more. Moving backwards again, Virgil felt his body relax further and a peaceful calm moved through him. He could do this, lie here forever in this comforting stillness. The darkness no longer felt foreboding. It was like a blanket, wrapped round him, keeping him cosy and warm, the familiarity akin to being in his room with the blackout binds down. His eyes felt heavy with sleep and Virgil smiled as he let himself be taken by it. 

That’s when Virgil heard the music. It was so soft, but it was there. Virgil’s eyes snapped open, ears straining, trying to catch the familiar notes. Standing up, Virgil took a step forward. It was still quiet, but it was getting louder. Another step forward and it sounded like Fur Elise, which brought a smile to his face. Taking another step and the music changed to Mars the Bringer of War, but the faint beeping could be heard beneath it. Virgil took a further step and the music changed to The Swan, the beeping ever present behind the music. Breathing became hard but focusing on the music helped put it to the back of his mind, enabling him to take the next step. The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy filled Virgil’s ears, and at the same time the pain gripped his body. He screwed up his eyes, forcing himself to breathe and pushed through the pain. Taking another step, the music changed yet again as the pain intensified. Falling to hands and knees, fighting the memory of the comfort he had before, Virgil crawled forward, focusing on the changing music. A faint light brought pain to his eyes, having been so used to the darkness. The music was still there overpowering the beeping. Forcing himself through the agony and holding his breath, he pushed forward, following the sound. Virgil put all his focus on the music, determined to only go forward. 

***

Kayo sat beside Virgil’s hospital bed. Looking at the comatose man she couldn’t help thinking how peaceful he looked. Her heart had been torn apart when he’d been crushed under the building, and they had been so lucky that he’d come out alive when some of those he’d been helping hadn’t. But he’d been in a coma for six days now. They had taken him off the respirator four days ago, but the doctors were starting to get worried that he wasn’t waking up. Every family member had sat beside the man, talking to him, hoping their familiar voice would bring him round. There was nothing keeping him under now, and the worry was starting to take its toll on everyone. 

Kayo held Virgil’s limp hand, stoking it. She’d talked to him at first, but it hadn’t worked previously and still brought no response from the man. Instead she had decided to play some of the pieces of music Virgil loved. She had downloaded some of the recordings she’d secretly made of Virgil playing to her communicator and was now playing them to him. She had sat back, eyes closed, focusing on the music, pretending she was back on the island, listening, as Virgil’s fingers graced the piano keys. The beeping from the machines was trying to ruin her thought processes, but the music was still helping to ease some of the tension in her body. 

After a while Kayo sighed. Taking his hand again, she inspected his face, fighting the tears that wanted to fall. Her body froze. She swore his eyes flickered. The music beside her was reaching its peak and his eyes flickered again. Kayo squeezed Virgil’s hand harder as hope filled her heart. His eyes moved again, and she slowly reached her hand out towards the call button. Virgil’s eyes opened, and Kayo pushed the button, standing up and leaning forward so her face was in Virgil’s line of sight. The tears slipped down her checks as she gazed into those brown eyes. 

“Welcome back, Virgil.”


	24. Day 24 - Award

Alan looked at the pile of letters in front of him and sighed. He was on PO Box duty and he was still only halfway through the mountain of envelopes. Thankfully EOS sorted through the digital PO Box, but the computer couldn't open letters so one of them had to open and sort any physical mail. Often Grandma would do it but today Scott had assigned it to him. 

Alan picked up and opened another letter. Inside was a child's picture of Virgil and Thunderbird 2. Placing it in the large pile of similar post for Virgil, Alan reached out for the next. He had to sort the mail into piles for the person it was addressed to. There was always lots for Virgil, the big green ship doing many rescues and saving multiple people at a time. Gordon got his fair share of mail because of that too. Scott got a little but his was mainly digital, and often from women who wanted to know their rescuer a little more. Kayo got none, which she preferred, and John mainly got compliments as part of general thank you notes. Alan's pile was normally small, space rescues being fewer and involving less people. He did get the odd one from when he co-piloted Two, but he had distinctly fewer. 

The letter now in his hand was made of very fine paper with an official crest on it, which he recognised but couldn't name. Why they had sent it to this PO Box and not the more formal route via the GDF, Alan didn't know, but it was addressed to Commander S Tracy of International Rescue. Standing up and stretching out his sore legs, Alan went upstairs to the lounge where he knew Scott was at Dad's desk. 

"This one looks important." 

Alan slid the letter across the desk. Scott looked up at him with mild confusion on his face. Alan watched as Scott turned the letter in his hand before reaching into the top drawer of the desk for a letter opener.

"Hey, why didn't you give me that earlier!? I've been shredding envelopes down there!" 

Scott smiled, slit open the envelope in one smooth movement and placed the letter opener in front of him. Alan pocketed it for later. He should really get back to the mail, but he was curious about the letter in Scott's hand. Scott's eyebrows knitted as he frowned and sighed, before opening the scheduler and pencilling something on it. 

"So, what does it say?" Alan pestered. 

"It's the French government informing me that they are awarding me this year's Legion d'honneur award." 

"That's so cool! What do you have to do to get it? Maybe I'll get it next year."

Scott shook his head and smiled. 

"They are awarding it for my part in the evacuation of New Caledonia when that hurricane hit a few months ago. Apparently, I went above and beyond for the preservation of life." 

Scott sighed again and Alan couldn't help feeling a bit disheartened. Everyone has been part of that rescue, with the strong winds and thousands of people in need of evacuation International Rescue had come in to help the local emergency services who were out of their depth. 

"It's just because I'm the figurehead so I'm who they see, therefore I have to dress up and smile to get an award and claim all the credit for everyone's work. A thank you letter would be much more appreciated." 

"But you're going to pick it up, right? Don’t they give it to you at a big ceremony?”

Scott looked at his brother, who was too enthusiastic of an award that was being given to the wrong person. 

"It will be presented at a very formal reception, and I will have to go. It would be incredibly rude if I didn't, and we Tracy’s are anything but rude."

Alan smiled at his brother. Sure, International Rescue didn't operate to receive awards, and the fan-mail provided more than enough thanks to help spur them through the tough days. But there was nothing like formal recognition from a government to put pride in his chest for the rescues he'd done.

***

Alan was sitting in a penguin suit waiting for Scott to finish putting his on. Scott had laughed at the face he'd made when he realised he had to so dressed up. Apparently his usually suit, though perfect for every other formal event he'd been forced to go to, wouldn't do for this one. Alan looked over to his eldest brother and grinned. Scott always looked on point thanks to his military service, but this was above and beyond, and somehow made Alan feel shabby despite them being in matching suits. 

"You really shouldn't be slouching. It'll crease the suit."

Alan stood up, ready to leave the plane and head towards the car that was waiting. Scott came over and straighten out his bowtie and dusted his shoulders before leading him out into the hanger. It was a short ride to the ceremony and Alan enjoyed the formal dinner provided. Going to formal events wasn't something Alan did often, being the youngest, so even with the all the etiquette training Lady Penelope had given him, he was still a little nervous. Scott conversed away with the others on the table effortlessly, holding conversations about Tracy Industries and stock markets that went straight over his head. Alan was thankful the man beside him had given up when he asked about the current American economic climate and Alan just responded, 'It's okay, I guess.'. Alan just ended up listening to his brother, trying to understand even a little of what he was saying. 

Alan was thankful when the speeches started, and the awards started to be handed out. Alan watched and waited, eagerly listening out for the award his brother was going to receive. 

"Now, this year's Legion d'honneur has been award to International Rescue, an organisation which goes above and beyond in the preservation of life. Awarded for their work in the evacuation of the eastern coastline of New Caledonia when Hurricane Maria hit. Many lives were saved thanks to the quick response and expertise that this organisation provided. Collecting this award, on behalf of International Rescue, Mr Alan Tracy!"

Applause sounded and Alan froze. He looked to his brother who was smiling at him. Scott lent over, putting his hand on Alan's shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"It was a joint effort, so I pulled some strings. Now get up there."

Scott sat back down, and Alan quickly composed himself, trying to remove the shock from his face. Standing up tall and brushing down his suit, Alan strode up to the stage, a smile on his face.


	25. Day 25 - Compliment

Kayo held up the hand tailored dress Penelope had ordered for her and sighed. At least it wasn't pink. The navy dress was patterned with crystal spirals radiating out from the waist. She had begrudgingly given Penelope her measurements knowing she couldn't get away with her usual attire for the fundraiser. Not that she was going there to be social. She was information collecting about a possible threat to International Rescue's secrecy. 

Penelope had the dress shipped to her as her duties were taking Kayo everywhere as of late, and Kayo couldn't guarantee that she would have the time to faff that Penelope would. Penelope has also packaged a set of elegant dark blue heels with the dress, and although Kayo had versed herself in wearing them, she still found them frustrating. Heels always restricted her movements, making it harder for her to be stealthy. Kayo had secretly trained with a pair on, so at least she could defend herself while still wearing them, if required. 

Pulling off her clothes, Kayo slipped the dress over her head. It slid down her body, fitting to her curves flawlessly. Looking in the mirror, Kayo couldn't fault the fit, and Penelope had ensured that the fabric was soft against her skin. Twisting to the left and right, Kayo smiled. At least she was going to look the part. Picking up the heels she slipped them on and did up the delicate fastenings. The shoes complemented the dress and accentuated her figure perfectly. 

Kayo took a few steps in the shoes, allowing her feet to adjust to their new position. A few circles of the room and she was starting to get the feel for her new height. Sighing, she walked over to the screen door and let herself onto her balcony. Leaning on the rail she pulled the band from her hair, letting it fall into the gentle breeze. The sun started to warm her skin and she let her eyes gaze out to sea. She never got bored of the view. The chattering of the birds carried on the sea air and Kayo enjoyed the pause in her busy life. 

"Stunning."

Kayo looked along the balcony to see Virgil smiling at her.

"You look absolutely stunning."

His smile widened and the glint in his eyes made Kayo's heart to skip a beat. She knew what that look meant and it was the first time she'd seen it in Virgil's eyes. Kayo focused on her breathing, keeping it steady, before swivelling on her heel and heading back into her room. Looking in the mirror she could see the blush on her cheeks and hoped Virgil hadn't noticed. A small smile graced her lips as she carefully slipped off the dress, storing the knowledge that Virgil might reciprocate the feelings she’d been hiding, for a later date.


	26. Day 26 - Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my thoughts on what happened to the lizards, Buddy and Ellie, after Series 2 Episode 17 ‘Attack of the lizards’.

"Good lizards. That's right. You stay still while I … aargh!!!"

Scott walked into Gordon's room to see him with a fistful of dried crickets and a look of absolute fear on his face. Scott couldn't help but laugh as Gordon backed further away from the case as one of the lizards moved. 

"It's not funny!" Gordon protested; eyes still glued on the open cage. Scott continued to chuckle as he took the crickets from Gordon's hand, strode over to the lizards and fed them. 

"They're harmless Gordon, but if you really don't want them, why don't you give them away? There are plenty of people out there who'll want them and look after them properly."

Scott topped up the water and checked the humidity and heat settings before stroking Buddy and closing the cage. When the lizards had come, he'd got John to put together a guide to their care for Gordon, which he had also read. Gordon relaxed with the lizards safely lock away. 

"Because they were a gift from the Pendergasts! They don't give gifts out to anyone, and I don't want to upset them if they ever found out I'd given them away." 

Scott shook his head and sighed. 

"Then you'd better get over your fear and care for them properly. They'd be more upset if you kept them improperly than if you gave them to someone who would give them the proper care they need."

"Seeing as you think they're cute, why don't you look after them?"

"Gordon!"

"Fine. Fine. I'll look after them."

***

That evening Scott went up to his room only to find two lizards looking at him from his desk. Sighing, he opened the top and stroked the backs of the lizards. Gordon's fear of lizards was legendary among the family, and they all remembered the nightmares he’d had after a trip the pet shop went wrong. Scott went online and started emailing Australian reptile keepers and centres asking if they wanted or needed a couple of lizards. 

***

Scott carefully strapped the cage down, double checking the straps to ensure it wouldn't move about during the flight. He'd managed to find a reptile centre which had just lost a lizard and was looking for one to replace it. They had jumped at his offer of Buddy and Ellie, loving how they were named after the extravagant explorers, saying they would be great for the presentations they do for kids. Knowing that they would be bring joy and educating kids for the rest of their days made saying goodbye easier. Scott had to admit that he had grown rather fond of them over the past few weeks, but with callouts coming in at all hours he couldn't give them the care they deserved. Smiling at the lizards in the cage, Scott checked the power supply on the heat lamp before heading to the cockpit of Tracy 1 to start pre-flight checks. The centre had given him an open invitation to come visit them, and he was already planning to be free to watch their first educational presentation.


	27. Day 27 - Pillow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This continues on from Day 18 - Tuck in

Something moved. It dug into Jeff’s side and woke him up. Lifting himself up onto his elbow, he felt something against his back. Squinting, he saw a medium sized form curled up in front of him. After letting his eyes adjust, he saw three heads on the pillow beside him and smiled, realising he’d been joined in the night. The child next to him groaned and moved again, elbowing Jeff in the ribs. A quick look over his shoulder confirmed it was John who was lying behind him, though Jeff was surprised to see his eldest on the other side of John. Scott was old enough to not be scared of a storm, but he had been sharing a room with Virgil and John. Jeff wondered if Scott had gone looking for his brothers when they weren’t in their beds, only to find everyone in the master bedroom. Jeff smiled at the sight of Scott cuddling John. 

Lying back down, Jeff pulled Virgil into him. The boy continued to move, the nightmare that gripped him causing him to whimper. Jeff stroked the boy’s dark hair and muttered into Virgil’s ear, trying to bring him comfort. Virgil’s nightmares were thankfully rare, but when they came, they were vivid and at their peak he would thrash and yell out. Lucille knew exactly how to comfort him but had never given Jeff the information. Now Jeff had to go back to trial and error, hoping he could bring relief to Virgil before he woke his brothers.

Jeff lay there feeling inadequate as Virgil continued to twist in his arms. The nightmare was getting worse and Virgil started to thrash more and muttered the word ‘no’ over and over. Virgil’s leg kicked out, hitting Gordon’s leg and waking him up. Gordon rubbed his eyes and looked at Jeff before his eyes settled on his brother.

“Virgil okay?”

“He’s just having a nightmare. The storm must have scared him a little. Don’t worry, he’ll be okay soon.”

Gordon yawned and rubbed his eyes. Jeff watched as Gordon reach out and ruffled Virgil hair.

“Be brave Virgil.”

Jeff smiled as Gordon curled back up and fell asleep. Jeff lent over and kissed Virgil’s cheek.

“You hear that Virgil. Be brave.” Jeff whispered in his ear, “You are safe and loved. We are all here with you.”

Brushing his fingers through Virgil’s hair, Jeff felt relief as Virgil seemed to relax slightly against him. The boy’s mutterings and movements decreased, and his breathing became more regular. Jeff sighed as Virgil’s nightmare came to an end. Jeff continued to hold Virgil as he closed his own eyes, letting his body relax, and allowing himself to drift off, comforted by the knowledge that all his boys were close by.


	28. Day 28 - Say

"Admit it, Alan. You cheated!"

"Did not. I won, fair and square."

Gordon glared at his younger brother before pouncing on him. Wrestling Alan onto his front, Gordon sat on Alan's back and pinned him down.

"Admit it squirt! You're a cheat!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

Gordon licked his fingers and twisted them in Alan's ears. 

"Ewe! Gross! Stop it!"

Alan thrashed his legs, his heels hitting Gordon's back. Gordon pushed his brother’s head into the floor in response, although Alan’s kicks had very little strength behind them, they were an annoyance to Gordon. 

"Admit it!"

"No!"

"What's going on here!? Gordon get off Alan!"

Scott had walked in on the squabbling. His youngest brothers always found a way to give him a headache. Gordon didn't move and Alan continued to squirm. Scott's arms were on his hips and he gave Gordon his signature frown. 

"Gordon Cooper Tracy! Release Alan NOW!"

Gordon huffed before removing his weight from Alan's back. Alan quickly sat up and pushed Gordon over, and the wrestling starting again. Scott stormed over, towering about the fighting boys.  
"Gordon! Alan! Stop this instance!"

Scott pulled them apart, using his body to get between them. His brothers scowled at each other. 

"Gordon started it!"

"No. You started it when you cheated!"

"I don't care who started it! I'm finishing it. Now you're going to do exactly what I say!"

Scott was fuming and Alan and Gordon finally stopped squabbling. The eldest relaxed slightly and stepped back, taking in the two youngest. He knew exactly what punishments to bestow on them, though he was certain they wouldn’t learn their lesson and would be at it again next week. 

"Gordon, the pool hasn't been cleaned thoroughly this month. I'm going to drain it, and I won't fill it again until it had been cleaned to MY standards. I also want the poolside swept and cleaned, including the deck chairs."

Gordon groaned. 

"Alan, I want you to clean every bathroom in the villa. I want every aspect of it cleaned from shower to toilet to trash can. That includes the ones in the hangers. I'll be confiscating you're gaming equipment until it's done. I'm happy to inspect each bathroom as you go along."

Alan crossed his arms and stuck out his lip. Scott left the room, heading down to the pool controls.

"At least I don't have to clean toilets."

Alan stuck out his tongue and headed to the store cupboard, knowing it was best to get this over and done with if he wanted to play with his friends that evening. He knew this was going to take up the rest of the day. Gordon headed down to the stairs toward the pool's storeroom, but not before yelling over his shoulder. 

"Cheater!"


	29. Day 29 - Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of Day 6 – Date and Day 21 – Love.

Penelope was sat up in bed, her newborn in her arms and Gordon in the chair beside her. He was stroking their son’s tiny hand, a contented smile on his face. They had yet to broach the topic of names, though she had an idea for which names on their list suited him. As she was about to mention it, there was a knock on the door, and Scott’s head poked round. Before they could beckon him in, Alan had pushed the door open and walked straight into the room. Gordon stood up and embraced his younger brother. 

“Congratulations!”

Penelope smiled at the ‘It’s a boy’ balloon which was now floating above the embracing brothers. The rest of the Tracy family filed in, flowers in Scott’s arms, Virgil caring a pile of presents and smiles on every face. Sally powerwalked around Scott and embraced Penelope before looking down at her new great-grandson, tears welling in her eyes. Penelope carefully held her son out, and watch the elder woman hold the baby close. The love and care in Sally’s eyes melted Penelope’s heart as the woman cooed over the baby. 

Scott walked round her bed and placed the flowers on the side table as Virgil placed the presents on the chair Gordon had vacated, before pulling Penelope into a hug and whispering ‘congratulations’ in her ear. Scott leant over and gave her a hug from the other side.

“How are you doing?”

“Tired but great. He’s perfect.”

Penelope looked over at her son, now in the arms of the legendary Jeff Tracy. The man’s eyes were full of tears as he held his first grandson. She couldn’t imagine what was going through the man’s head. Having spent eight years stranded, not knowing if he’d ever see his sons again. Now he was now holding his grandson for the first time, something she believed he never thought he’d do. The tears fell, the grin on his face as he looked up at her filled her heart with warmth. 

“He’s beautiful.”

Jeff stroked the newborn’s head, before leaning down and kissing the boy’s forehead. Scott and Virgil headed over to their father, Scott putting his arm around Jeff’s back as Virgil took the baby. Jeff wiped the tears that fell and put his arm round his eldest son. Virgil rocked the baby, and John came up and stroked his nephews’ hand. Alan was catching Gordon up on all he’d missed, their chatter filling the room. Jeff placed the presents on the bed next to her feet and sat on the chair next to her, Scott came over and stood beside him, hand on his shoulder. Sally pulled up a chair on the other side and took Penelope’s hand with a smile. They chatted about the birth, his weight and how he looked like Gordon had when he was born. John sat down and Virgil passed him the baby, before turning to Gordon. The banter between Gordon and Virgil started, filling the room with laughter. When the baby started crying, they all laughed as Gordon got nappy changing duty, the jokes now being directed at the family joker. 

Penelope laughed along, warmed by the feeling of home the people around her brought with them. Looking around the noisy room at the many smiling faces, Penelope couldn’t help but feel lucky to be part of this family. She knew her son would be loved, cherished and protected by every person in the room.


	30. Day 30 - Special place

The whole island was a special place. Sally had been sceptical about her son's plans, but when she visited the island during construction, she started to see the potential, and she could certainly see the beauty. She could see the positives for the boys too. The old house was so sombre since the loss of Lucille, every part of it a reminder of what they had lost. A new house would help them through, allow them to see a new future. Yes, the pain would still be there and felt, but Lucille wouldn’t have wanted them to live the way they were. 

Sally had followed the natural trails, after Jeff had finished the tour and gone off to consult with the builders. These were the trails Scott now jogged down, John took to his favourite stargazing spot, and Alan and Gordon took down to the small beach which appears at low tide. But it was the trail that lead off behind the house, and through the island valley, which Sally loved the most. It wasn't scenic and she'd had to level it out because it had been quite treacherous at points. When she looked up at the foreboding towering cliffs, that occasionally rained down rocks when a Thunderbird or two took off, a shiver always ran down Sally's spine. 

But once through the valley, it was a short walk to a natural plateau, which Sally had made her own. It was her little garden, away from the hustle and bustle of the house, with a fantastic view of the ocean. It was sheltered from the wind, and she had made raised beds which she had filled with her favourite flowers. There was a bench in a small crevice, with pillows hidden in its seat, as well as a portable display so she could keep an eye on the boys without having to head back to the house. 

There was a raised bed reserved for growing food. She may not be able to cook, but she could certainly grow things, not that the island grown food made it to the house that often. Sally would nibble on it as she sat with a good book, especially the tomatoes and strawberries. She'd once caught Alan and Gordon literally red-handed eating them. Let's just say, a week of cooking for just the two of them, and they had never touched her plants again. Virgil was the only one who would frequently come and sit with her in the garden. Sometimes he would sit with an engineering book or look at the latest paintings of an artist he liked. Other times, he would bring his easel and Sally was quite content to watch his masterpieces form. 

Today, she picked the last of the strawberries and washed them in the tap Jeff had installed. Pulling up a small table, Penelope placed the teapot and cups down, along with the sandwiches and cake. Sally filled a bowl with water for Sherbet, who lapped it gratefully, before settling down beside Penelope for afternoon tea. It was Jeff’s birthday and it had become a tradition between the two women to have afternoon tea on the island together. Last year the tide had been in their favour and the beach had been a beautiful spot. This year they decided on Sally’s garden, both wanting to enjoy the secluded area where they wouldn’t feel the emptiness of the island as much. Neither woman wanted to admit that this year was different. It was less sombre, and they both held on to the hope of being reunited with Jeff. With no communication from the ship, the women were in the dark, and the two had grown ever closer with the shared fears over the boy’s and Kayo’s safety. They had already agreed that they just wanted them all back safe, with or without Jeff. Sally looked up at the sky, her heart telling her that this time next year, she wouldn’t be having afternoon tea with just Penelope.


	31. Thank you fic for Gumnut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for Gumnut, but for every fan of Virgil Tracy to enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having reached the end of November, feeling fully supported by the community I wanted to say Thank you to Gumnut for coming up with the prompts. How else do you thank a fanfiction writer, except with a fanfic containing their favourite character and imagery that would make them smile. This is that fic.

Nina walked down the crevice away from the others. They had just finished lunch and the guide had given them the go ahead to explore freely, as long as their digital trackers were on. A quick check on her phone and she confirmed her little dot on the map of the caves. She knew it was best to travel in pairs, but she had done the larger caves before and had come to look at the smaller ones. 

Nina ran her hand gently along the rock, looking at the striations in the light of her headtorch. Her family had always thought her fascination with rocks and geology weird, but then she didn’t see the world as disposable as they did. Nina valued the resources held within the Earth, but not to the point that they should destroy it. The rock dipped, and Nina had to duck low for the next twenty meters before she had to climb up to the cavern aptly named, The Grand Passageway. Nina walked the entire length of the passageway before twisting sideways down a thin tunnel to The Seamstresses’ Tomb. Most people passed on visiting the Tomb, but Nina had to come see the fine stalagmites and stalactites which had formed in the cavern.

It was while standing in The Tomb that the rock shook. Nina wobbled, and in the shaking light of her headtorch, saw a crack forming in the ceiling above. Twisting, she headed to the exit, only to trip over in the dark. She felt the sharp tip of a stalagmite run along her side as she fell and winced in pain as the headtorch hit the wall ramming it into her skull. Her body crumpled to the floor. 

Nina blinked. It was pitch black. The rock had stopped shaking but reaching up to her head, she felt the broken front of the torch. Flipping the switch a few times confirmed it was dead. Feeling the floor around her, she found a good place to put her hands and tried to sit up. Pain shot up her leg and along her side, causing her to flop back down on the ground. Nina reach into her pocket. She felt for her phone only to feel the cracks on the screen. Carefully she pulled it out. Nina pushed the power button, but nothing happened. Great, it was dead so no calling for help. She hoped the tracker was still working. Nina reached around and pulled the small pack from her back. She took out the emergency kit and felt for the light. She turned it on, and the Tomb lit up. She looked over her shoulder. Nina could see the rock trapping her feet. Nina wiggled her toes and was relieved that she could still feel them, which meant the rocks were just pinning rather than crushing her, which was a relief. She fetched her water bottle from her pack and had a drink to clean the dust from her mouth, and settled down, ready to wait for someone to find her.

***

The noise startled Nina. She lifted her head to see a light entering the cavern. Nina had to squint as it beamed into her eyes, but relief filled her body. As the light moved closer, Nina could make out the vague form of a man below it through the tears that slipped from her eyes. 

“Virgil Tracy, International Rescue. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Her rescuer placed a hand on her shoulder. His face slowly came into focus and Nina smiled at him, noting that he smiled back. She blinked as he moved the light, which was on one of his broad shoulders, out of her eyes. Nina’s heart skipped a beat. Surely it was illegal for someone that handsome to be in the rescue business? It was her light that lit up his face, allowing her to gaze into his chocolate brown eyes. 

“N…N…Nina.”

Nina swallowed as heat spread across to her face. Although she was sure many women stammered and blushed when he came to rescue them, she still wished she hadn’t. 

“Okay Nina. Just lie still while I scan you for any injuries before I move the rock that is pinning you.”

Nina lay still and watched his face as he concentrated on checking her over. His brown hair was styled, and his jawline was sculpted, making her want to stroke her fingers down in. His uniform was close-fitting, allowing her to see every bulging muscle. From this angle his arms were thick, and she enjoyed the way they moved as he waved the scanner over her body.

“Looks like you’re fine apart from the gash on your side. I’ll see if I can’t move this rock and well get you bandaged up and out of here.”

Nina observed Virgil as he turned to the rock. He crouched down to find a grip on the rock, and Nina was glad the scanner had been put away. There was no way she could hide the increased heartrate brought about by the fabulous pair of buttocks that she now had a prime view of. Her rescuer lifted the rock which allowed Nina to pull her feet free. She twisted her body and sat up. Virgil was at her feet almost immediately. He inspected her legs, his hands gripping them lightly, before placing them carefully back down. 

“No wounds, but there’s going to be some serious bruising later. You are lucky no bones were broken. Now, if you don’t mind, may I lift you top and quickly clean that gash?”

“Please do.”

Nina took a deep breath as Virgil came closer. He slipped a small medical kit from one of the compartments on his belt and placed it beside him. Replacing his blue gloves with disposable medical ones, he carefully lifted the left side of her T-shirt. Nina winced as he pulled the fabric out of the wound. 

“Could you hold you top up for me?  
Nina placed her hand over his, before he pulled his away to let her hold the fabric he had been holding.

“This is going to hurt, but it should clean the wound and stop any infections.”

The cold wipe was placed against her skin and brushed gently over the gash. The pain was sudden, and Nina gasped and screwed up her face. The pain dulled as she felt gentle fingers pressed a dressing to her side. She opened her eyes and looked at Virgil at the same time as he lifted his head to look at her. 

“All done. Now let’s get you out of here.”

Nina dropped her top and released the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. He removed the medical gloves to reveal large hands which Nina wanted to get to know intimately. The dexterity he displayed as he nimbly packed everything away left Nina staring. The last thing he did before standing, was to pull the protective gloves back on. He towered above her and offered out his hand, which she took. He easily pulled Nina to her feet. Pain throbbed in her ankles, causing her to crumple. A hand under her arm kept her on her feet, though it didn’t stop her sucking in a pained breath. 

“The bruising is pretty bad. Are you sure you’re okay to walk?”

Nina nodded through the pain. How else were they meant to get through the narrow tunnels if she wasn’t walking? Opening her eyes, Nina took a step forward, Virgil’s hand still under her armpit. Her ankles complained but she stayed upright. Her next step fell on uneven ground, twisting her ankle and forcing Virgil to keep her standing again.

“That’s enough. You can’t walk.”

With that Nina felt his hand move around her back and his other arm behind her knees. Before she could say anything, she was in his arms, and she felt the blush in her cheeks. Nina’s arm automatically reached around his back. He carried her to the entrance of the Tomb, each of his steps caused her uninjured side to rub against his chest. Nina was thankful his concentration was on the narrow path, as she was sure her cheeks were beetroot red from the contact. His pecks were firm, just like the arm muscles she’d been admiring earlier and now felt against her back. His shoulder was strong beneath the grip of her hand, and she felt safe despite the circumstances. As the cave narrowed, Nina pressed her head into his shoulder, to reduce the likelihood of it hitting the rock. She was surprised at how he carried her even through the lower sections, with barely a grunt. Nina observed his face throughout the journey, his brown eyes looked ahead, his face a mask of concentration. Nina resisted the urge to touch the five o’clock shadow that covered his jaw, as well as the urge to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him close. 

He carried Nina the whole way down The Grand Passageway and out into the cavern where she’d last seen her group. There was another rescuer standing in the middle of the cave, surrounded by equipment. He was dressed in the same uniform, except his belt was yellow. Nina was lowered onto a stretcher and the other rescuer came over and smiled at her. 

“Hi, I’m Gordon. I’ll be taking you from here. Virgil, there are another rockslide blocking the way to the last two people. Would you mind using the exosuit to free them?”

“Of course. You’re in safe hands, Nina. Gordon here is going to take you back to Thunderbird Two, so we can transport you to hospital with the rest of your group.”

Nina’s heart sank at the prospect of saying goodbye to her rescuer, her body already feeling cold without his warmth against her. But she smiled at him and nodded. 

“Thank you, Virgil.”

“You’re welcome.”

Nina watched as he disappeared down the tunnel and fought the sigh she wanted to release. Gordon started guiding the holostretcher in the other direction, towards the cave system’s entrance. Nina lay back and smiled. What dreams she was going to have tonight!


End file.
